THE 20th City Council has approved on second reading an ordinance establishing the Davao City Citizen ID (DCitizen ID), a unified identification system for all Dabawenyos.
Councilor Bonz Militar, chairperson of the committee on information technology, said the DCitizen ID will be free for all residents.
The rollout will happen in phases, with the first batch providing 159,194 IDs for senior citizens and 22,247 for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The budget for hardware and implementation will come from the City Mayor’s Office (CMO).
Once production is ready, the city will launch mobile registration caravans and set up an office dedicated to processing applications.
Residents can register by presenting a valid ID or barangay clearance or applying online. The ID’s validity will depend on age and residency status—children up to 15 years old will receive an electronic card valid for five years, while those aged 15 to 17 will get a physical card with the same validity.
Adults 18 and above will receive a physical card valid for ten years, while transient residents will have a one-year validity. PWDs will receive a five-year validity, in line with the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, while senior citizens will get a lifetime ID.
He also emphasized the need to update IDs, especially for PWDs. For example, individuals undergoing dialysis who receive a PWD ID will no longer need it once they recover.
“Unified ID one target nato ani is for the database nga naay records sa mga Dabawenyos and services na gina-avail sa atoang mga residente sa Davao City (The Unified ID aims to create a database that records information about Dabawenyos and the services they avail in Davao City),” he said in a media interview on Tuesday morning, March 18, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Once the ID system is fully implemented, residents will no longer need to present multiple documents when accessing social services, fiscal management, and healthcare.
However, he clarified that the DCitizen ID will only be valid within Davao City and not be recognized in other municipalities or cities.
Militar stated that once the ordinance is approved, they anticipate rolling out the ID by early this year or within the second quarter of 2025.
According to the committee report provided to the media, the unified ID is part of Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s initiative to enhance good governance through digitalization in the local government unit (LGU).
To ensure efficiency, the ID system will use a color-coded classification: blue for permanent residents, green for transient residents, orange for PWDs, and red for senior citizens.
A technical working group, chaired by the city mayor, will oversee the finalization of implementing rules and regulations (IRR). This group will include representatives from the City Information Technology Center, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the City Legal Office, and the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO).
Strict penalties await those who misuse the ID system. Anyone found guilty of fraudulent use, falsifying information, or unauthorized printing will face one year of imprisonment and a P5,000 fine.
The ordinance is expected to pass its third and final reading on March 25, 2025. If approved, the city plans to implement the ID system by mid-year. RGP