The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has provided logistical support to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the delivery of over 4,000 Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) registration kits to different areas across the country.
Gen. Gilbert Gapay, AFP chief, said the delivery of the PhilSys registration kits to the 32 local offices of the Philippine Statistics Authority is crucial in ensuring the success of the national ID system.
He explained that the national ID system will "promote a peaceful and secure environment" as criminals, terrorists, and other lawless elements will "find it difficult to assume fake identities to commit crime and terrorism in the community."
"The national ID system will help us and other law enforcement agencies to curb criminality and terrorism as we can now validate and expose the criminals' identities and prevent them from hiding in other law-abiding citizens' identities," Gapay said.
"This will also constrain and lose their freedom of movement, and they will be isolated and unable to transact business as no official identification can be presented when demanded," he added.
Gapay said that the registration kits that were turned over to the AFP by NEDA last Oct. 30 were delivered to the PSA head office in Diliman, Quezon City last Friday.
From the PSA head office, the kits will be distributed to the AFP major services such as the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy for distribution to the different military unified commands.
The unified commands will then facilitate the transport of the registration kits to the 33 local offices of the PSA nationwide.
The Philippine Army was tasked to deliver the kits to PSA provincial offices in Luzon, the Philippine Navy to PSA provincial offices in Visayas, and the Philippine Air Force to PSA provincial offices in Mindanao.
The kits are expected to arrive at the 655 cities and municipalities in target provinces on or before Nov. 12 when the training for the PhilSys registration operations will begin.
The registration kits, each composed of a luggage of equipment and a photobooth kit, will be used during the Phase 2 of the PhilSys registration which aims to capture the biometric information of applicants at the registration centers in target provinces.