HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

Republic of the Philippines *
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECEIVED

Quezon City, Metro Manila parece 7 JUL 2016
nie. 16 An
Seventeenth Congress ey.

First Regular Session
RFEE'STRATION UNIT

HOUSE BILLNO, 2904 | suLs.ano inorx service

Introduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This is a refiled bill contained in Committee Report No. 442 of the 16th
Congress.

The measure seeks to address the chaotic system of identification (ID) as the
populace suffers from the burden of having ID cards from several government and
even private agencies. As a result of this unwarranted system, there is a seeming
perception of unpleasant divergence or incoherence among Filipinos ~ setting in
impractical practice of having several ID’s that causes confusion and difficulty.

The proposed system is aimed to hasten government services by accurate
identification and fast recovery of all recorded transactions that passes through the
government system. It shortens government business and services, ultimately, upholds
efficiency.

Present in the United States of America and other progressive countries around
the world, the solitary ID system that wraps into one all government agencies is
attributed to their prompt services that highly contributed to their effectiveness in
governance and development.

‘This proposal aims to establish a similar system with the intention of
contributing to the growth in our government system and steady progress.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
requested.

FREDERICK F. ABUEG
Representative| 2" Districf of Palawan



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2001

Introduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg

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 hat 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 Filipino
Identification System herein referred to as the “ID system” is hereby
established and instituted as an economic and social tool towards the

attainment of a progressive society through the provision of efficient services to

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all Filipinos. The identification system shall provide official identification of

all citizens of the Republic of the Philippines through the issuance of the

ino 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-transferrable Filipino ID card with a unique personal 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 a change in name and family name by virtue of
court order or by application of law, including but not limited to
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 individual serial number issued by the Philippine

Statistics Authority (PSA), and such other data as may be deemed necessary.

ino ID card shall 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

(c) 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


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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 in the absence thereof, the legal
guardians of the minor, incapacitated and persons with disability 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


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Ba,

Social Security System (SSS), the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Home
Development Mutual Fund (HDMEF); and
(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;
(d) Proof of identity, status, age and address for transactions in
banking and financial institutions;
(c) Voting identification purposes; and
(f) 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


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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, give or in any
way distribute to third parties or entities including government enforcement
agencies any information obtained in connection with the application and
maintenance of 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

(a) 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


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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 any specific
individual/s 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.

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 any 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


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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 GSTS, 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,