Go hails signing of Nat’l ID system

SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go welcomed the signing on Monday of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) by President Rodrigo Duterte, saying it is a major step in curbing corruption and curtailing bureaucratic red tape.

PhilSys seeks to establish a single national identification (ID) system for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

Go said the system aims to promote seamless delivery of public and social services, reduce corruption, curtail bureaucratic red tape and avert fraudulent transactions.

The secretary allayed concerns of privacy breach, saying that the personal information in the new ID will be protected by the Data Privacy Act.

Go said the information in the national ID would not be different from the information given to government agencies like the Philippine Statistics Authority, GSIS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, and Commission on Elections.

He said the national ID would remove the need for citizens to present multiple IDs when transacting with the government.

Balanga Bishop Ruperto C. Santos also welcomed the signing of the national ID law.

Santos, also the chairman of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, said the national ID“would be especially beneficial to OFWs.”

He said a single Philippine ID could save time and money by speeding up the processing of their documents.