Lacson: Prioritize marginalized sector, COVID-19 aid beneficiaries in nat’l ID system

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos in the marginalized sector and targeted beneficiaries of the COVID-19 cash assistance should be prioritized in the country’s national ID system, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

“The National ID system was signed into law nearly two years ago. There is no other time than now where it is most needed,” Lacson said in a statement on Thursday.

“I hope the National Economic and Development Authority can fast-track the implementation of the National ID system, as directed by the President,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier instructed acting National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua to hasten the implementation of the National ID system.

“The first question is, is the system ready to accept registrants? If so, they should give priority to the marginalized sector, and those targeted for financial assistance because of the COVID-19 crisis,” Lacson went on.

“NEDA should have ample help from the Philippine Statistics Authority as the frontline agency, and the Department of (Information and Communications Technology) which plays a major role,” he added.

The slow-paced implementation of the national ID system has been blamed for the delayed distribution of the cash aid to some P18 million low-income families affected by the Luzon-wide quarantine imposed by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

READ: Sotto suggests ‘full blown execution’ of national ID system

Lacson, alongside Senate President Vicente Sotto III, earlier filed a Senate resolution seeking an inquiry into the status of the national ID system, which even Duterte said could have sped up the delivery of the government’s emergency subsidy program.