Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED
pare: 30 JUN 70:3

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BY: K

REGISTRATION UNIT
HOUSEBILLNO.__512 | ellis aNb INDEX SERVICE

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Introduced by HON. ROBERT ACE S. BARBERS.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to institutionalize a national information system to be known as the
“Philippine National Identification System’. This is in line with the policy of the State to provide
adequate social services and improve the quality of life of its people.

The Philippine National Identification System is a progressive, economic and social tool
to identify all Filipino citizens. It aims to facilitate, streamline and simplify the processes in
securing and rendering efficient government and private services. The System will provide an
official, numbered, identification card to all Filipinos to be known as the “Philippine National
Identification Card or the FilCard'. It shall contain the photograph, name, date and place of birth,
signature of the cardholder/owner. The FilCard shall be made of tamper proof security material
with capability to store the biometric data of the individual cardholder.

Application and issuance of the FilCard shall be initially free of charge as part of the
government's social responsibility. Birth certificates issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority
(PSA) and pre-existing government-issued identification card shall be accepted and utilized as
reference in the issuance of the FilCard. This will gradually concert and consolidate all existing
government issued identification cards into one-integrated, efficient ID system. The PSA, which
is the custodian of birth, marriage and death certificates, shall be the implementing agency of
this measure.

The FilCard shall serve as the official identification of a Filipino citizen whether residing
in the Philippine or abroad. It will save time in the delivery of services, provide timely medical
services and eliminate additional identity documents. Most importantly, it will help many
Filipinos who remain faceless for lack of any identification cards, whether government of
otherwise.

In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is highly recommended. It is
high time a Philippine National Identification Card be issued to every citizen of the Philippines
This will strengthen the confidence and self-esteem of Filipinos \to immediately present
themselves as a person and as a Filipino. (

HON. ROBERT ACE S. BARBERS
2'} District, Surigao del Norte

J 1

HOUSE F REPRESENTATIVES



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 512

Introduced by HON. ROBERT ACE S. BARBERS

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SEC. 1. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine National Identification System Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic social
order that shall ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from
poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, and improved quality life for all
Towards this end, an effective identification system is hereby established to curb the perennial
problem of red tape in the government bureaucracy and to simplify the processes relative to
public and private services.

SEC. 3. The Philippine National Identification System. - The Philippine National Identification
System is hereby established and instituted as an economic and social tool towards the
attainment of progressive society through efficient services for all Filipinos. The identification
system shall provide official identification of all citizens of the Republic of the Philippines through
the issuance of the Philippine National Identification Card or the FilCard. It shall gradually
concert and consolidate all existing Government-initiated identification systems into one-
integrated and efficient identification system.

SEC. 4. The FilCard. - Every Filipino, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad is mandated
to register personal information required by the ID system, and upon application shall be issued
a non-transferrable ID card with an ID number that shall be valid for FIVE (5) years, subject to
replacement under the following circumstances:

(a) When a child reaches the legal age of eighteen (18) years old;

(b) When there is change in name, family name by virtue of court order or by
application of law, such as married woman adopting the surname of the
husband;

(c) For lost or destroyed ID card;

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(d) For other revisions that may be deemed necessary by the card holder
such as changes in the facial features due to age or medical intervention;

(e) When there is change in sex.

The FilCard shall be made of tamper-proof security material. It shall have on its face the
imprinted photograph, name, birth date, gender, date of issue, signature of owner, the
corresponding individual serial number issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and
such other data as may be deemed necessary. The FilCard shall also have the capability to
store at least the biometric data of the individual cardholder.

The issuance of the FilCard shall be free of charge. A replacement fee shall be paid by
the cardholder in case the card is lost or destroyed.

The pertinent details for applicants with pre-existing government issued identification
card shall be utilized and honored as reference in the issuance of the FilCard.

SEC. 5. Roles and Functions of the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of
Foreign Affairs through the Philippine Embassies and Consular Offices. - The PSA, as the
implementing agency, shall determine, validate and administer the data and materials required
for FilCard issuance.

The DFA, in coordination with the PSA, shall handle registration of Filipinos residing
abroad. The abovementioned government offices shall create a special unit which shall be
responsible for:

a) Accepting applications for the ID card;
b) Processing of such applications; and
c) _ Releasing the ID card to the applicants.

SEC. 6. Registration. - Upon the effectivity of this Act and when the ID system has become
operational, every Filipino residing in the Philippines shall apply shall apply for the registration
and issuance of the FilCard at the office of the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) of the city or
municipality where one is a resident. Likewise, every Filipino residing abroad shall apply for the
registration and issuance of the ID card at the nearest Philippine Embassy or consular office of
the country where they are residing. The PSA, through the LCRO or the Philippine Embassy or
consular offices abroad, is mandated to issue the FilCard within ninety (90) days from the
registration of live birth,

The parents or the legal guardian of the minor, incompetent or disabled person shall be
responsible for the application and safekeeping of the issued FilCard.

The PSA, through the LCRO, is directed to conduct mobile registration to ensure
registration of all Filipinos including the indigenous Filipinos and those in the remote
communities.


SEC. 7. Features involving the Private Sector and the Local Government Units. - The PSA shall
encourage the cooperation of the private sector and the local government units (LGUs) in
granting additional benefits and privileges to the cardholders.

SEC. 8. Functional Uses of the FilCard. — The FilCard shall be presented and honored in
transactions requiring the identity, status, birth, and all other personal circumstances such as
but not limited to the following

a) All transactions with the government, including
1) Application for passport and driver's license;

2) Filing applications for any services and benefits offered by the
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security
System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth)
and Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF);

3) Application for clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI), courts, prosecutor and the police;

b) Proof of identity, status, age and address, for admission in all learning institutions
as well as for employment purposes;

c) Availment of benefits or privileges afforded by law to senior citizens;

4) Proof of identity, status, age and address for transactions in banking and financial
institutions;

e) Voting identification purposes; and
f) Such other purposes and uses which the PSA may prescribe.

When the FilCard is presented to any government agency or for identification purposes,
no other additional identification card shall be required.

Except in instances allowed under the provisions of Republic Act No. 9225 or “The
Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003”, the FilCard shall motu propio be rendered
invalid and ineffective upon the loss of Filipino citizenship.

SEC. 9. Change of Personal Status and Residence. — Any person who intends to effect change
in his FilCard including but not limited to change of personal status, residence, or any material
data shall have the duty to inform the Local Civil Registrar, Embassy, or Consular Office where
the person is residing within a certain period as shall be prescribed by the implementing agency,

SEC. 10. Protection Against Unlawful Disclosure Of Information/Records. - No person may
publish, disseminate or give to third parties or entities including government enforcement
agencies any information obtained in connection with the application for the FilCard, including
the use thereof except in the following cases:


a) When the holder of the FilCard expressly authorizes the disclosure of such
information to a third person, entity or agency;

b) __ In the event of accident, disaster or fortuitous events, when information on
the medical history of the holder such as the blood type or special medical
needs or other relevant information are needed by medical institutions and

health service workers;
c) _Inthe interest of public health or safety; and
4) Upon order of any competent Court

Any information obtained as a result of unlawful disclosure under this act shall be
inadmissible as evidence in any criminal proceedings against the holder of the FilCard.

SEC. 11. Safeguards on the FilCard. - The PSA as repository of all data shall create and
maintain a Filipino Citizen Registry that will contain the registered records and information of
persons issued with FilCard. The PSA as the main issuing authority of the FilCard shall institute
the necessary measures to safeguard the information provided in the FilCard. No such
information shall be released to any agency, office or instrumentality, government or otherwise,
nor shall be used against any person, except in cases stipulated in Section 10 of this Act.

The PSA, in pursuance of its mandated statistical function, may generate and release
aggregated information from the Filipino Citizen Registry in the form of summaries and
statistical tables: Provided, that no reference to an individual shall appear and that no person
can be readily identified in the released information.

The information in the Filipino Citizen Registry shall be categorized in a manner that
allows proper safeguard, data access, security and change management

SEC. 12. Penal Provisions. - Any person who knowingly uses false information in applying for
the issuance of a ID card or procures one through fraud and utilizes the card in an unlawiul
manner, shall be punished with a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) but
not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) or an imprisonment of not less
than six (6) months but not more than two (2) years, or both at the discretion of court.

Any person who shall wilfully and unjustifiably refuse to accept, acknowledge or
recognize the FilCard as the only official identification of the owner thereof shall also be
punished with the same penalties or imprisonment stated in the preceding paragraph.

Any public official or employee who connives with the offender in committing the acts
mentioned in the last two (2) preceding paragraphs or, on his own, causes the issuance of an
authorized FilCard or approves the application for the same, despite the knowledge of the
existence of fraud or false information, shall suffer the corresponding penalties imposed in the
last two (2) preceding paragraphs and shall suffer the penalty of perpetual disqualification from
government service.


The penalties imposed in this Section shall be in addition to those imposed on acts
punishable by existing penal and other laws including those acts of omission.

SEC. 13. Failure to Present the FilCard, — Failure of any person to present an FilCard when
transacting business with the government or with private entities requiring its use and
presentation shall not be a ground to deny or limit the grant of basic government and private
service as long as such transaction is qualified under existing laws.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days upon approval of this
Act, the PSA in coordination with relevant agencies, such as the DFA, the National Economic
Development Authority, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Social
Welfare and Development, Department of Science and Technology, Commission on Elections,
GSIS, SSS, PHILHEALTH and the Bureau of Immigration shall promulgate rules and
regulations and exchange existing technologies and best practices on the issuance of
identification cards to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 15. Funding. - The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be included in the
budget of the Philippine Statistics Authority and Department of Foreign Affairs in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause.- If any provision, section or part of this act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect, invalidate or impair any other
provisions, sections or parts hereof.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivitiy. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,