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Thursday, August 24, 2006
ID system for government transactions initiated
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday launched the Unified Multi-purpose Identification (UM-ID) system, her administration's version of the national ID system that will be fully implemented starting January 2007.
The UM-ID system is being pilot-tested until December this year at the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Arroyo, in her speech at the launching of the ID system, said the "People's ID card" seeks to "strengthen good governance, improve transparency, empower the citizenry and give every Filipino faster access to dependable government services."
"This system fills the last mile in the gap between the people's needs and a streamlined government that serves those needs," she said.
She said government will harmonize existing ID systems in different government agencies and corporations.
"Hindi ba mas maganda na iisa ang ID na ginagamit mo sa lahat ng transaction ng pamahalaan kaysa pumuputok ang wallet mo sa dami ng ID na kailangan mo (Isn't it better for one ID to be used in all government transactions unlike having many IDs in your wallet that it's almost bursting)?" she said.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri assured that information that will be collected for the UM-ID system will be treated with strict confidentiality and will not be disclosed without the expressed or signed written waiver of the person who owns the data, or unless required by law or a court.
NSO administrator Carmelita Ericta said the UM-ID system has security features like hologram prints, ultra-violent prints, pictures of the owner, card number and bar code.
The UM-ID has a common reference number, which includes the holder's identifier during his/her lifetime and personal information. The ID looks like a credit card or the automated teller machine (ATM) card.
Ericta said government employees are required to enroll in the UM-ID as soon as the pilot testing is completed. Private citizens who want to avail of it can enroll voluntarily. She said an act of Congress would be needed if all citizens would be covered by the ID.
Neri said he wants to make the ID as affordable as possible, probably in the range of P50 to P100. Ericta said the NSO was given financial support of P80 million from the electronic government fund as start up. (JMR/Sunnex)
(August 24, 2006 issue)
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