A sample copy of a PhiID card (MB File Photo)
Senator Francis Escudero on Wednesday, August 9 said he will ask the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for “quantifiable targets” when they come to the Senate for the 2024 national budget hearings.
Escudero said the government is asking for P1.6-billion under next year’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) to accelerate the issuance of the National Identification Cards or PhilIDs. The proposed funding is lodged in the proposed P8.8-billion budget of the PSA for 2024.
Yet until now, the number of PhilIDs that have been released are short of the government’s target. Some of those who applied for a PhilID had theirs downloaded and printed it themselves, the senator noted.
Of the 77.325 million who have registered as of July 7, 2023, only 41.358 million plastic cards have been printed and dispatched, of which 34.719 million have been received by applicants, the senator also pointed out.
“Yung 38.608 million printed lang sa papel. Habang 1.2 million ang dinownload na lang nila at sila na ang nag-print (The 38.608 million have been printed on paper. While 1.2 million were just downloaded and were the ones who just printed it themselves),” he said.
“In this age of A.I., the promised cards are being printed D-I-Y. Ang daming pangako nung binabalangkas ang batas, at nang humihingi ng pondo (they have so many promises when the law was still being crafted and when they asked for funds),” Escudero lamented.
Therefore, he said he will ask the PSA and the BSP: “At what speed will it be done and will it be fast enough to overtake the backlog?”
Because while the appropriations are with the PSA, Escudero noted the problem lies with the printer, which is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
“For an agency which prints money and runs the mint, this delay to the people, more so that they are compelled to register and apply for it, is unacceptable,” he said.
Due to the delays, the lawmaker said the people have lost enthusiasm to apply for the national ID and that resulted to lower demand.
“Kaya naman halos 33 million pa ang hindi nagparehistro. ‘Yung targeted clientele mo mawawalan talaga ng gana, (That’s why more than 33 million have not yet registered. Your targeted clientele will of course, lose enthusiasm),” he pointed out.
Registration for the PhilID system is mandatory under the Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act which then President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law in August of 2018.
However, the program’s implementation was marred by significant delays and irregularities. There were also questions about the IDs’ alleged substandard quality and usefulness. Some of the IDs had blurry photos and laden with incorrect personal information.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 585 calling for a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into the PSA’s delayed issuance of the national ID cards.
“It is crucial that the government takes immediate steps to resolve the issue and ensure that all citizens have access to their national ID,” Pimentel said.