REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

131

H.B. No.

Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C. BICHARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to institutionalize a national voluntary information personal card to
be known by its acronym “VIP card” in order to facilitate and streamline governmental
transactions, cut red tape and increase productivity.

The idea of a national identification system has been time and again proposed in.
Congress. Indeed, the benefits of a unified information system to the country and its
citizens are limited only by one’s imagination. However, this proposal, though how novel
and noble its purposes are, has always been met with stiff opposition especially from
human rights groups and other similar organizations fearing that this might be used by
the state to violate the rights of individuals.

To assuage these fears, this measure simply proposes the issuance of an
identification card on a voluntary basis. Only those persons who want to avail of such
card can enjoy its benefits instead of requiring and/or making such system compulsory to
everybody. Likewise, this bill shall ensure that any information under the system will not
be made available to third parties or entities but only under certain exceptional
circumstances. Moreover, any information given in the system shall be considered as
privilege and can not be used as evidence against the holder thereof in any criminal
iclusion of these safety mechanisms in the bill, the
tion system will be used by the state to
ts citizens will be addressed. Likewise, to encourage mass-based participation
in this system and increase government revenues, the National Statistics Office, which
shall be the implementing arm of this measure, is also authorized to enter into any
arrangements or agreements with the private sector for the purpose of giving special
privileges, discounts or other benefits to card holders.

Finally, this information card shall serve more as a protection for its holder than
as an ordinary identification card. The use of this card will protect, secure and/or save
the holder from red tape in the government bureaucracy, unnecessary harassments,
wastage of time and from death or permanent injuries in case of accidents and/or
disasters. Thus, because such card will ultimately serve to protect its holder, it is but
appropriate that it be named as the Voluntary Information Personal Card or commonly
known as “VIP Card.”

In view of the foregoing considerations, the Appfoval \of this bill is highly
recommended.

ty
AL 1S C. BICHARA
2™ Distri¢t, Albay


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C. BICHARA.

AN ACT OTHERWISE KNOWN AS VOLUNTARY INFORMATION
PERSONAL CARD SYSTEM “VIP” TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE
NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE ( NSO ), APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. There shall be established a national Voluntary Information Personal
Card system to be commonly called or known as “VIP Card.”

Section 2. All Filipinos and resident aliens of legal age may voluntarily apply
and be issued a VIP Card.

Section 3. The VIP Card shall be issued with a permanent serial number,
photograph and the following personal data of the holder, to wit:

a) Name

b) Residence Address

c) Date of Birth

d) Sex

e) Height and Weight

f) Nationality

2) Blood Type

h) Special Medical Needs, if any, and

i) Polling precinct and Barangay / Municipality / City/ Province

Section 4. Any qualified person who wish to avail of the VIP Card shall apply
and register with the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of the municipality or city where
he or she is located for a minimal fee of Three Hundred Pesos (Php300.00). The VIP
Card shall have a validity of five (5) years and any subsequent renewals thereof shall
have a fee of One Hundred Fifty (Php 150.00) for a similar period of five (5) years.

Section 5. The funds generated by the VIP Card shall be used exclusively to
establish and upgrade its computerization and on-line systems to be implemented by the
National Statistics Office (NSO ) in coordination with all other government agencies,
including local government units, concerned.

Section 6. The NSO shall prepare the application form of the VIP Card which
shall contain, among others, the name, age, birth, status, name of spouse, name of
parents, residence, and if a registered voter, the barangay and polling precinct, and such
other relevant information and/or supporting papers as may be necessary and required by
the NSO. Any and all information provided in the application shall be under oath.

Section 7. The VIP Card 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:


transactions with any government agency;

application for passport and driver's license;

c. 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);

d. poof of identity, status, age and address for admission in all schools, colleges,
learning institutions, and/or colleges and universities as well as for
employment purposes:

e. availment of benefits or privileges afforded by law to senior citizens;

f. proof of identity, status, age and address in banking and financial institutions;

g. application for National Bureau of Investigation clearance, fiscal and police

clearance;

._ voting identification purposes;

employees’ identification card with respect to government employees;
Such other purpose and uses which the NSO may from time to time prescribe.

oP

Se

Section 8. Any and all information given by the holder in connection to, or in
relation to the issuance of the VIP Card shall be deemed inadmissible in any criminal
proceedings against the holder.

Section 9. 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 VIP Card, including the use thereof except in the following cas

a) When the holder of the VIP card expressly authorizes such person,
entity or agency to procure such information;

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

°) Order of the Court

Section 10. Any person who files an application for the registration and issuance
of the VIP Card containing statements known to him to be false, or who procure
registration and issuance of an identification card other than his own shall be punished by
a fine of Ten Thousand (Php10,000.00) or imprisonment of one (1) year at the discretion
of the court.

Seetion 11. Any person who procures or obtain information from the application
of VIP Card holder or from information contained in the VIP Card and cause the same to
be published, disseminated or given to third persons, parties or entities in violation of
Section 9 hereof, shall be punished by a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Pesos
(Php300,000) or imprisonment of six (6) years, at the discretion of the court. In case the
offender is a public officer or an element of the Philippine National Police or the Armed
Forces of the Philippines, such offender shall be dismissed from service with forfeiture of
all benefits and emoluments and shall be perpetually barred from holding public office.

Section 12. The NSO shall promulgate such rules and regulations to implement
the provisions of this Act. It is likewise authorized to enter into any arrangements and/or
agreements with the private sector for the purpose of granting additional privileges or
benefits to VIP Card holders in order to increase the number of holders and promote the
wide usage of the same.

Section 13. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be
charged to the budget of the NSO for the current year. Thereafter, the necessary sum for

the implementation for this Act shall be provided in subsequent General Appropriation
Acts.


Section 14. Any provisions of law, rules and regulations contrary to the
provisions of this Act are hereby deemed modified and/or repealed accordingly.

Section 15. This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days from its publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved