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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
s . N ~ .  I179 
INTRODUCED BY THE HONORABLE MAR ROXAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Different government agencies maintain their respective database and information in 
the pursuit of their mandate to provide basic services and social security to the public or in 
the exercise of their regulatory function. This function also necessitates the issuance of 
various reference numbers to those who transact with these agencies. Consequently, an 
ordinary citizen would have various numbers issued to him by the Social Security System 
(SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Land Transportation Office (LTO), 
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), PhilHealth, Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC), and other 
government agencies. Keeping track of these numbers would be too tedious for the ordinary 
citizen. This also spells inefficiency and red tape for the government. 
This bill seeks to address this problem and expedite dealings with the different 
government by harmonizing the existing database and information system of different 
government agencies. The SSS, for instance, has a total membership of about 25 million. 
Each member is issued his own number for the purpose of transacting with the SSS. The 
NSO, on the other hand, has about 80 million persons registered in its records. Those 
persons holding SSS numbers are also the persons registered with the NSO. 
Studies reveal that despite government efforts to make our country attractive to 
investments and to ensure fast and efficient delivery of basic social services, our 
government's operating efficiency and performance continue to be hampered by tedious 
transactions. Bureaucratic red tape is the source of many ills in our government: inefficiency, 
irresponsiveness to needs of people, and graft and corruption. 
This proposed measure, which will consolidate all existing government-initiated 
identification systems in one integrated and multi-purpose system without compromising 
our citizens' right to privacy, will facilitate speedy, accurate, and simplified processes and 
procedures of transacting with the government. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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pt. . 
First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S.No. 
- 6179 
INTRODUCED BY THE HONORABLE MAR R O U S  
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE EXPEDIENCY AND EFFICIENCY IN DEALING WITH 
GOVERNMENT, CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE A HARMONIZED DATABASE 
SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Etle. - This Act shall be known as “The Ease of Dealing with 
Government Act of2007. 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to ensure efficiency 
in the bureaucracy by simplifying processes and procedures in transacting with the 
government consistent with the rights of citizens to privacy and equal protection of the laws. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terns. -The following terms as used in this Act shall refer to: 
(a) National Reference Number - The Population Reference Number assigned and 
issued by the National Statistics Office to a citizen or permanent resident of the 
Philippines; 
(b) NSO - The National Statistics Office; 
(c) SSS- The Social Security System; 
(d) Data - The name, address, date of birth, gender, and other personal circumstances 
of the person to whom a National Reference Number was issued, all of which are 
encoded therein and kept strictly confidential in the records of the National 
Statistics Office; 
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(e) Agencies Concerned - These agencies shall refer to all agencies issuing 
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identification cards to citizens such as, but not limited to, Government Service 
Insurance System (GSIS), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Bureau of Internal 
Revenue (BIR), Philippine Health Insurance 
Corporation 
(PhilHealth), 
Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), 
Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost). 
SEC. 4. Harmonization of Govemment Identification System. - There is hereby 
established a Harmonized Reference System to cross reference all government identification 
numbers. This shall be created by mandating all government agencies to harmonize into one 
National Reference Number to be assigned to each person so that eventually all information 
from all concerned agencies pertaining to the same person shall be embodied in the National 
Reference Number. 
The National Statistics Office, in consultation with other agencies concerned, shall 
design and implement a system wherein a National Reference Number shall be assigned to 
one person and shall include all the information included in the database of all the 
government agencies concerned. 
The government agencies concerned shall agree among themsehes the information 
which shall be represented by the National Reference Number assigned to each person and 
the format thereof. The National Reference Number may contain numbers representing 
specific information that can identify the person to whom it may have been assigned or 
information pertaining to a specific agency. 
SEC. 5. Operationalization. -The database system of the National Statistics Office shall 
be the core database of the Harmonized Reference System. The records of the SSS shall then 
be harmonized with the NSO database. The process of harmonizing the NSO database and 
SSS records shall be implemented within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
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Thereafter, all information from other agencies shall be harmonized. 
Complete 
harmonization shall be made within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
SEC. 6. Confidentidiv. - Any data or information pertaining to each record as 
referred to by the Harmonized Reference Number shall be kept strictly confidential and shall 
not be disclosed to any person ot used by any person for any purpose. Violation of this 
provision shall warrant the imposition of the penalty of imprisonment for not more than four 
(4) years and/or perpetual disqualification from holding public office. 
SEC. 7. Access to Database. - Each agency shall have access limited only to the 
information relevant to its function. The NSO, in consultation with the other government 
agencies shall establish a system wherein agencies may be allowed access to database of other 
agency when necessary. Any person who shall access any information without proper 
authorization shall be liable for imprisonment for not more than six (6) months and'or 
perpetual disqualification from holding public office. 
SEC. 8. Congressional Oversight Committee. - To oversee the proper implementation 
of this Act, there is hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee composed of three 
(3) members from the Senate and three (3) members from the House of Representatives 
designated by the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively; Provided, That of the 
three (3) members to be designated by each House of Congress, two (2) of them shall come 
from the majority and one (1) from the minority. 
SEC. 9. Appropriation. -The amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (PlOO,OOO,OOO.OO) 
is hereby appropriated out of the funds of the National Treasury not otherwise approprfated, 
as operating funds for the implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such funds sufficient to 
fully carry out the purposes of this Act shall be appropriated for every participating agency 
every fiscal year in the General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 10. Separabiliiy Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that may be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions and 
provisions hereof as long as such remaining portion or provision can still subsist and be given 
effect in their entirety. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and 
administrative regulations, or parts thereof that are inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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