AT least seven out of 182 barangays in Davao City are implementing a barangay Identification (ID) system as a tool to monitor its bonafide residents after the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
Speaking during Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong on Tuesday, June 19, Davao City Councilor Melchor "Jay" Quitain Jr. said the seven barangays have the initiative to implement the system with a barangay ordinance providing the issuance of identification cards in their respective barangays.
These barangays are Barangay 76-A, Bucana; Matina Pangi; Barangay 17-B, Bario Obrero; Barangay Marilog Proper; Tamayong; Mahayag, Bunawan; and 38-D.
“If you go over the list of the barangay ordinances that have been approved, meron na po tayong ID system already being imposed in the barangay,” Quitain said.
This developed after martial law was imposed in Mindanao as a means for barangay officials to determine who their residents are and they could affirm them through the IDs given.
The ID provides basic information of the bearer including the name, age, birthday and gender but it does not have confidential information like the SSS number.
“It’s the barangay [initiative] because when martial law was declared in Mindanao, it came about so that the barangay will know who are the people residing in their barangay in case there are outsiders at least they can monitor baka may mga elements na pumasok doon just to create trouble they can able to pinpoint immediately,” he said.
Thus, he urged the residents to go to their barangay hall and ask if they have ID system and to avail one. He also urged the barangays who have their barangay ID system to submit an ordinance and get an approval from Sangguniang Panglungsod before implementing it to their barangay to avoid further problems.
For her part, Davao City Councilor Mabel Acosta supports the system that is helpful in public safety. It is also beneficial for informal sector that have no IDs.
“Suportado ko yong ID system sa barangay in fact request yan ng mga taga barangay mismo kasi yong mga informal workers natin hindi nakapagtapos ng high school hindi nakapagtapos ng college at wala silang mga formal employment, walang mga kontrata, so therefore wala silang mga SSS, GSIS, the usual IDs that we have,” she said.
The IDs will provide residents convenience in case the security forces would ask them to produce ID to confirm their identities.
“Pag naa silay ID sa barangay sa ato pa giacknowlegde siya sa barangay nga taga didto og kabalo ang barangay captain sa iyang background (If they have the ID it means that they are acknowledged by the barangay that they live there and the barangay captain knows them),” she said.