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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
G62
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives Ron P. Salo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Each government agency maintains its own database and information in pursuit
of its mandate and the exercise of their ministerial and regulatory functions. This set
up has proven to be onerous for the citizens because it requires them to travel to
different offices in order to acquire these documents. They also have to worry about
the long queues and fees in order to obtain these documents. Many of these agencies
also usually require the original copies of the document, and thus the citizens are
constrained to procure multiple original copies and pay corresponding fees.

For example, among others, both the NB! Clearance and Passport applications
require the PSA authenticated birth certificate. We can do away with duplicating
requirements and fees if there is an interconnected database and information system
which these agencies can check in lieu of requiring the said documents.

This Bill seeks to address this problem and expedite dealings with the
government by harmonizing the existing database and information systems of different
government agencies and establish the Philippine Data Interconnectivity System
Which shall be mandated to serve as the master database where all organized
collection of information, data, records, and other documents from government
agencies. It aims to establish a modern, comprehensive, and secured interconnected
database among government agencies that will streamline the process of obtaining
common official documents and facilitate succeeding transactions of the public while
keeping the integrity of government records and documents.

At present, government agencies have the liberty of requiring different forms of
identifications and documents in the exercise of their mandates. This arrangement
necessitates the issuance of various, but duplicating, requirements issued by the
different agencies. As a consequence, ordinary citizens would have to submit again
and again the same requirements and forms of identifications that were already
submitted to other agencies. This redundancy becomes a burden to citizens because
of the dragging bureaucracy and the fees imposed for the very same set of documents.

There is also a need to embrace perpetually evolving technology and take
advantage of its benefits. This Bill shall mandate the establishment of an online

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application system where the citizens will primarily process their requests. Personal
appearance shall only be required when absolutely necessary. This will minimize, or
possibly do away the long queues that waste so much of the citizens’ time which could
have been used for other productive activities.

Establishing this system will also make our country attractive to investments as
it will ensure fast and efficient delivery of basic social services. It will help our
government perform efficiently and lessen the tedious transactions and bureaucratic
ted tape that has been one of the banes of Philippine society.

The importance of creating policies that will help our constituents live their lives
as convenient as possible is imperative upon us in Congress. In this case, this will
necessarily reduce the costs and redundancies and simplify the processing and
delivery of services in government transactions.

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

GA

RON P. SALO
KABAYAN Partylist

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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. °62_

Introduced by Representatives Ron P. Salo

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE DATA INTERCONNECTIVITY SYSTEM AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Data
Interconnectivity Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — \tis the policy of the State to provide efficient
delivery of basic services to the public. In this regard, the State shall establish a
modern, comprehensive, and secure data interconnectivity system that will streamline
the application and succeeding transactions by citizens in the country in obtaining
common official documents and availing of basic services and social security benefits
while keeping the integrity of government records and promoting good governance.

SEC. 3. Philippine Data Interconnectivity System. - The Philippine Data
Interconnectivity System (PDIS) is hereby established and instituted as an economic
and social tool towards the attainment of a progressive society through the provision
of efficient and fast government services to all Filipinos. The PDIS shall serve as the
master database where information, data, records, and other documents from
government agencies mandated to deliver basic services and social security benefits
are collected, organized and stored. It shall gradually consolidate all existing
government-initiated information data systems into one integrated and efficient
national information database system.

SEC. 4. Objectives. — The Philippine Data Interconnectivity System shall have
the following objectives:

a) To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government agencies in the
management of certain government records and the delivery of government
services to the public;

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b) To have a modern, comprehensive, reliable and secure national database
system;

c) To create linkages between databases of government agencies involved in
collecting personal identity information of the public and the interconnection
of agencies and offices;

d) To simplify and streamline government's processes and transactions, as
well eliminate costs and economic burden to the public by reducing
bureaucratic transactions; and

e) To ensure the integrity of the database of the Filipino people.

SEC. 5. Philippine Data Interconnectivity Center. — The Department of
Information and Communications Technology (DICT), as the implementing agency,
shall establish under its office, the Philippine Data Interconnectivity Center (PDIC) to
be headed by an undersecretary, which shall be in addition to the existing
undersecretaries of the DICT. The Philippine Data Interconnectivity Center shall be
mandated to establish, design, develop, and administer the PDIS. In addition, the
PDIC shall:

a) Establish and maintain multi-purpose databases, data warehouses,
networks, and interface of databases and related facilities and services for
utilization by the government agencies included in the PDIS;

b) Manage the PDIS and ensure its integrity by providing adequate safeguards
for protection and confidentiality of data or information contained in the
PDIS;

c)

Coordinate and provide technical assistance and logistics solution for the
management of government databases included in the PDIS and the
effective linkages of the various database systems;

4d) Review the efficiency of the PDIS and the adequacy of the safeguards to
protect the integrity of the system;

C)

Conduct research, studies, surveys, experiments and other investigations
necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act;

f) Submit annual reports to the Congress of the Philippines with respect to the
performance and exercise of its powers and functions;

9) Establish and maintain online application system for requests pertaining to

information, data, records, and other official documents; and

h) Perform such acts and other functions as may be necessary to implement
the provisions of this Act.

_ SEC. 6. Filipino Reference Number. — The PDIC, in coordination with the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), shall generate a Filipino Reference Number
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(FRN) which shall serve as the common reference number for each individual
registered in the PSA. The FRN shall be used to establish a linkage among the
agencies included in the PDIS.

SEC. 7. Interconnectivity Among Government Agencies. ~ The agencies
where the public regularly conduct multiple transactions shall be prioritized for
inclusion in the PDIC. It shall include, but not limited to, the following agenci

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);

b)

Local Civil Registrar;

ic}

Local Register of Deeds;
d

Land Registration Authority;

e)

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation of the Department of Health
(Philhealth);

f) Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund (Pag-IBIG);
Social Security System (SSS);

eS

h) Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR);
i) Government Service Insurance System (GSIS);

i) Philippine National Police (PNP);

=

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

) Land Transportation Office (LTO);

m) Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB);
n) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA);

©) Department of Science and Technology (DOST);

p) DSWD Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (DSWD 4Ps);

q) Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

1) Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);
s) Department of Education (DepEd);

t) Professional Regulation Commission (PRC); +

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u) Philippine National Police (PNP); and

v) Other agencies may be included in the PDIS as the DICT Secretary deems
necessary.

SEC. 8. Supreme Court, Congress, and Constitutional Offices. - The
following institutions or offices may also be included in the PDIS, upon their
concurrence:

a) Supreme Court;

b) Senate of the Philippines;

c) House of Representatives:
d) Ombudsman;

e) Civil Service Commission;
f) Commission on Audit; and
g) Commission on Elections.

SEC. 9. Data Verification. — The government agencies that are included in the
PDIS shall use the data derived from the PDIS to verify the identity of a person
transacting with the agency, or availing of services or benefits therefrom without need
of further proof aside from the Filipino Reference Number, or without need of requiring
other documents that can already be verified through the PDIS.

The data to be retrieved from the PDIS shall be limited to personal information
to be used solely for identification purposes. Any data outside of the personal
information such as records of premium payments and name of beneficiaries
Necessary for a member to avail of the benefits under Philhealth, Pag-IBIG, SSS, and
GSIS may also be included in the PDIS. Information indicated in the current NBI
clearance shall likewise be included in the PDIS.

The public shall only deal with the primary agency, or the agency concerned
with the specific transaction, and said primary agency shall verify and retrieve any
data, information, records, or documents that are stored in the PDIS.

SEC. 10. Inter-agency One-Stop Shop. - The PDIC shall, in consultation with
the government agencies included in the PDIS, establish an inter-agency one-stop-
shop system wherein the public can request and obtain official documents at the PDIC
stored at the PDIS. Information, data, records, and other official documents issued by
the PDIC is considered official with the same validity as that issued by the primary
agency in charge of that information, data, records, or documents.

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The PDIC may establish satellite one-stop shops in places convenient to the
public, such as but not limited to malls, parks, or near government and business
centers, where they may request and obtain official documents stored at the PDIS.

SEC. 11. Online Applications. - The PDIC shall establish an online
application system for requests pertaining to information, data, records, and other
official documents stored at the PDIS, and may charge a reasonable fee equivalent
only to the cost of the transaction.

Applications for requests pertaining to information, data, records, and other
official documents shall primarily be online. Personal appearance of the requesting
individual shall only be required when absolutely necessary.

SEC. 12. Confidentiality of Information. - The PDIC shall ensure the
confidentiality of the data stored at the PDIS.

Only the authorized PDIC officers and employees and authorized officers and
employees from the agencies included in the system shalll be allowed access to the
PDIS. The PDIC shall issue the necessary and appropriate guidelines which may
include authorization for personnel from among government agencies included in the
PDIC to access the PDIS.

SEC. 13. Prohibited Acts and Penalties. — Any person who:

) Willfully provides false information or data which forms part of the PDIS shall
be punished with a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) or
imprisonment for a period of not less than one (1) year, or both, at the
discretion of the court;

b) Being an employee of the government agencies included in the PDIS,
publishes or communicates to any person, other than those authorized by
this Act, any information acquired in the course of employment, shall be
punished with a fine of Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) or
imprisonment for a period of not less than three (3) years, or both, at the
discretion of the court;

°)

Being an employee of the government agencies included in the PDIS,
publishes or communicates to any person, other than those authorized by
this Act, any information acquired in the course of employment with
malicious intent or for profit, shall be punished with a fine of Five hundred
thousand pesos (P500,000.00) or imprisonment for a period of not less than
six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court;

d)

Directly or indirectly perform an act, whether with malicious intent or for
profit, which compromises the integrity of the PDIS shall be punished with a
fine of Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,090.00) or imprisonment for a
Period of not less than (8) years, or both, at the discretion of the court; and

e)

Any group of 3 or more persons, working as a syndicate, perform an act with
malicious intent or for profit, which compromises the integrity of the PDIS
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shall be punished with a fine of One Million pesos (P1,000,000.00), or
imprisonment for a period of not less than ten (10) years, or both, at the
discretion of the court;

SEC. 14, Prohibited Administrative Acts. —

a) Any head of government offices or agencies which are part of the PDIS, or
any of its employees, who shall require documents already existing and
accessible in the PDIS shall be subjected to sixty (60) days suspension
without pay. For repeat offenders, they shall be terminated and barred from
government service. No penalty shall be implemented without due process.

b) Any head of office or agency whose office is found to be a habitual violator
of its Citizens’ Charter shail be subjected to Sixty (60) days suspension
without pay. For repeat offenders, they shall be terminated and barred from
government service. No penalty shall be implemented without due process.

SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the DICT, in consultation with the government agencies
and departments included in the PDIS, shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations for the implementation of this Act.

The DICT shall consult with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in establishing the organizational structure
of the PDIC.

SEC. 16. Appropriations. - The amount of One Hundred Million Pesos
(P100,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to initially implement this Act. It shall be
taken from any available funds in the Nationai Treasury of the current fiscal year. For
the succeeding fiscal years, the amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 17. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared invalid
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain valid.

SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. — All acts, executive orders, administrative orders,
proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with any of the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 19. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.

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