PBBM wants immediate release of national IDs
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the faster distribution of the national IDs under the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) to enable Filipinos to use it by 2023.
This developed after he met with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan via teleconferencing on Wednesday.
“Sa ating pagpupulong kasama si NEDA Director-General Arsenio Balisacan, tinalakay kung paano mapapabilis ang pag-imprenta at distribusyon ng National ID cards upang magamit na ng ating mga kababayan simula sa unang bahagi ng 2023,” Marcos said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
In a Palace press conference, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the seamless implementation of PhilSys is “essential” to ensure the country’s economic recovery amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Cruz-Angeles issued the statement, noting that PhilSys registrants would be given formal access to banking and other financial services.
“Bahagi nga po iyan ng ating economic recovery. So, necessary kasi ‘yung national ID. Essential siya lalong-lalo na doon sa banking systems, sa pagtatayo ng maliliit na negosyo or kahit anumang negosyo. So sa credit system mahalaga rin po ‘yung national ID system,” she said.
Over 13.7 million PhilSys IDs have already been delivered nationwide, the Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) said Wednesday.
The figure is equivalent to 94% of the 14.5 million PhilSys IDs turned over for dispatch as of June 30.
