To increase their experience towards achieving digital transformation in the delivery of basic services to all Filipinos, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), took part in a knowledge exchange visit to India through the initiative and sponsorship of the World Bank.
During the visit, representatives from the DSWD engaged with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and studied the design, registration, and implementation process of the national digital ID system of India, known as the Aadhaar.
The Philippine delegates experienced, firsthand, the process of registration up to the receipt of the financial and material assistance provided by the government of India to their beneficiaries.
Participants from the DSWD also interacted with stakeholder and private sector partners of India, the Bank of Baroda.
The visit enabled them to study how India allows its constituents, below five years old, to benefit from the national ID system.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was earlier signed by the DSWD and PSA for the adoption of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) in the identification and verification of the beneficiaries of the Department, starting with the two main social welfare programs—the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) that both cater to 4 million to 7 million beneficiaries.
Under the MOA, the integration of the PhilSys with the 4Ps and AICS will be pilot tested, particularly the authentication of the identity of the applicant-beneficiaries using the PhilSys IDs.
The DSWD is also currently developing a unified beneficiary database that aims to contain up-to-date and consistent information about the beneficiaries across all its programs, which will help prevent ghost and duplicate beneficiaries.