Marcos wants quick issuance of digital national ID

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the speeding up of the digitalization of the National Identification (ID) system that could be used for public and private transactions,  the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Friday.

The PCO, in a statement, said Marcos made the order during his meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on Digital Infrastructure in Malacañang on Thursday, where one of the topics discussed was the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) plan to pursue a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project for the launching of its Digital PhilID App.

“During the discussion, President Marcos asked the private sector to help get the National ID out, noting it has the technology and capability for new digital IDs,” the PCO said.

“Naiwanan na tayo sa [We've been left out in] technology, so we have to catch up,” the PCO quoted Marcos as saying.

The PCO also announced that the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) is eyeing to launch the said mobile app in the first quarter of this year, and that such digitalization would include automated eKYC (Know Your Customer), identity theft protection, credit card and loan applications, and digital wallet.

The Digital ID integration to a digital wallet, the PCO said, will address long queues whenever the public avail of the government’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) aid, be equipped with anti-fraud and anti-scamming measures and ease the Department of Social Welfare and Development measures in disbursement of government cash aid.

Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act was signed into law on August 6, 2018 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

But since then, the national ID project has been marred with printing and distribution delays. Others have also noticed that the picture on the ID can be easily erased. —Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA Integrated News