Manila mulls issuing own ID card
The City of Manila is considering the issuance of its own identification card as part of an effort to ensure the easier and efficient delivery of services.
The proposed Manila Resident Information System (MRIS) card can be used by residents when transacting in both public and private offices in the city.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the Manila card will give city officials an accurate headcount of all residents.
The mayor said all residents, from zero age and above, need to secure an MRIS.
“Institutionalizing the Manila city identification system will improve the delivery of the basic needs and services in the city, making it faster, more efficient and more convenient on the part of the residents and stakeholders as well,” Domagoso said.
The establishment of the MRIS and its implementing guidelines are contained in an ordinance authored by Second District Councilor Numero “Uno” Lim and Majority Floor Leader Joel Chua.
Lim, the ordinance’s principal author, said the MRIS will enable the city to establish a City Information System, the entries of which can be used by the City Council in crafting policies, programs and identifiable relevant projects to facilitate welfare and care for residents.
“The aforementioned identification system will speed up and simplify processing of documents, such as clearances, certifications, permits, license, tax payments and others as the information of the constituents in the city are readily available in the data information system,” Lim explained.
The MRIS will cover all permanent residents of Manila.
A resident shall refer to an actual inhabitant in the barangay, from zero age and above, and who has resided in the city for a minimum period of six months prior to the application, as certified by the city government.
The mayor said all residents, from zero age and above, need to secure an MRIS.
An MRIS applicant must submit proof of residency to the city validation office, using any valid ID card, birth certificate, utility bill, proof of lease, pay slip or passport before he is issued an IC card.
Meanwhile, Lim said Moreno will be the sole signatory of the ID card.
It will bear the following details: seal and logo of Manila; name, photo and signature of bearer; sex; blood type; address; birth date; contact person in case of emergency; name of father, mother, wife, husband and children, if any; voter’s ID reference; date of MRIS issuance and validity; and unique identification number.
“Compliance must be adhered before the issuance of the MRIS card as the resident applicant shall submit a duly prescribed application form to the clearance office designated by the city for processing of the said card. Parents or guardians are to fill up and submit the prescribed application form in behalf of their minor children and dependents, and the city may, by ordinance, impose or waive reasonable fee or fees for the issuance of the MRIS Card,” the councilor added.
The MRIS as City Information System will reduce the difficult procedure of accessing files and records it keeps and stores, serving as a census of the city for all of its constituents and others who plan to transfer and reside within Manila.
Institutionalizing the Manila city identification system will improve the delivery of the basic needs and services in the city.
The system is expected to be an effective tool in maintaining, searching and storing records of all residents in the city
The MRIS would also benefit residents for serving as a form of identification that can be used to access their accounts if there are some changes to be done on their part.
The mayor added many benefits will be accorded to cardholders like health and financial assistance, food relief, free education and job placement. It is also one way of doing away with flying registrants and ensuring a clean and honest election.
“This is what COVID-19 taught us, a very good lesson in having reliable records and a count of all its residents,” Domagoso stated.