HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
523 REGISTRATION UNIT
HOUSE BILL No. BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by HON. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr., HON. RODEL M. BATOCABE and
HON. CHRISTOPHER S. CO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill proposes the establishment of a National Identification System and the
issuance of a National Identification Card to serve as the official identification of all
Filipino citizens or alien permanent residents dealing with any department, bureau,
agency, or office of the government or any government-owned or controlled corporation
(GOCC), firm or establishment.

The current program of a Unified Multi-purpose ID card (UMID) for members of
GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-Ibig, pursuant to E.O. 420 of April 13, 2005 serves as
an excellent case study in favor of extending the National ID card to all Filipinos and
alien permanent residents.

Once enacted into law, all citizens, not only government employees and SSS
members but the self-employed, the unemployed, minors, and Filipinos working abroad
will be under the coverage of the National ID system

The national identification card will replace the current practice of requiring at
least two valid government issued IDs for identification purposes when transacting
business with a department, bureau, agency, or office of the government including
GOCCs. It intends to expedite the identification of a person transacting with the
government. It also aims to minimize, if not eliminate, fraud through a secure and
uniform system of identification of Filipino citizens anywhere in the country.

In view of the foregoing, the urgent approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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ALFREDO A.|GARBIN, Jr. RODEL M. BATOCABE =_—e $.co


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

52
HOUSE BILL No. =*

Introduced by HON. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr., HON. CHRISTOPHER S. CO, and
HON. RODEL M. BATOCABE

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE FILIPINO IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Filipino 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 of life for all
Towards this end, an effective identification system is hereby established to facilitate transactions with
the government and to simplify the processes relative to public and private services.

SEC. 3. The Filipino Identification System. — The Fi

ino Identification System herein referred

to as the “ID system’ is hereby established and instituted as an economic and social too! towards the
attainment of a progressive society through the provision of efficient services to all Filipinos. The
identification system shall provide official identification of all citizens of the Republic of the Philippines
through the issuance of the Filipino Identification Card (Filipino ID card). It shall gradually concert and
consolidate all existing Government-initiated identification systems into one integrated and efficient

identification system.

SEC. 4. The Filipino Identification (ID) Card. — 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-transferable Filipino ID card with an ID number that shall be valid
for life, subject to replacement only under the following circumstances:

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

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

(c) For lost or destroyed ID card;

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

Filipino cardholders upon reaching the age of sixty (60) years old are required to renew their
Filipino ID card, free of charge.

The Filipino ID card 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


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individual serial number issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and such other data as
may be deemed necessary. The Filipino ID card shalll also have the capability to store at least the
biometric data of the individual cardholder. ‘

The initial application and issuance of the Filipino ID card shall be free of charge as part of the
government's social service responsibility. A replacement fee shall be paid by the cardholder.

The pertinent details for applicants with preexisting government issued identification card shall
be utilized and honored as reference in the issuance of the Filipino ID card.

SEC. 5. Roles and Functions of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) through the Philippine Embassies and Consular Offices. - The PSA, as the
implementing agency, shall determine, validate and administer the data and materials required to
avail of the benefits of the identification system.

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

(a) Accepting applications for a Filipino ID card;

(b) Processing of such applications; and

(0) Releasing the Filipino 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 for the registration and issuance of
the Filipino ID card at 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
Filipino 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 a Filipino ID card 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 Filipino ID card.

The PSA, through the LCRO, is directed to conduct mobile registration to ensure the registration
of all Filipinos including 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 Filipino ID cardholders

SEC. 8. Functional Uses of the Filipino ID Card. — The Filipino ID card shall be presented and
honored in transactions requiring the identity, status, birth and all other personal circumstances such
as the following:

(a) All transactions with the government, including:

(1) Application for passport and driver's license;

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

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


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

(©) Availment of benefits or privileges afforded by law to'senior citizens;

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

(d) Voting identification purposes; and

(e) Such other purposes and uses which the PSA may prescribe.

When the Filipino ID card 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 Re-acquisition Act of 2003”, the Filipino ID card shall motu proprio 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
changes in his Filipino ID including change in personal status, residence, or any material data, shall
have the duty to inform the LCRO, the embassy or consular office where the person is residing, within
a certain period as shall be prescribed by the PSA

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 Filipino ID card, including the use
thereof except in the following cases:

(a) When the holder of the Filipino ID card 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) When the interest of public health or safety so requires; and

(d) Upon the 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 Filipino ID card.

SEC. 11. Safeguards on the Filipino ID. - 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 the Filipino ID card. The PSA, as the main issuing authority of the official Filipino ID card.
shall institute the necessary measures to safeguard the information provided in the Filipino ID card.
No such information shall be released to any agency, office or instrumentality, government or
otherwise, nor shall it 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 safeguards in data access, security, and change management.


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SEC. 12, Penal Provisions. - Any person who knowingly uses false information in applying for
the issuance of a Filipino ID card or procures one through fraud and utilizes the card in an unlawful
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 the court.

Any person who shall willfully and unjustifiably refuse to accept, acknowledge or recognize the
Filipino ID card 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 unauthorized
Filipino ID card 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 acts of omission.

SEC. 13.Failure to Present Filipino ID Card. - Failure of any person to present a Filipino ID
card 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 and
Development Authority, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of
Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Science and Technology, the Commission on
Elections, the GSIS, the SSS, the 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 the provisions of this Act shall be
included in the budget of the PSA and the DFA 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.Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,