Lawmaker wants private firms as gov’t partner in ID system project

MANILA, Philippines — Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara proposed on Tuesday an amendment to the substitute bill on the controversial national identification system that seeks to reduce costs of its implementation by allowing private firms to participate.

Although the House committee on revision of laws’ hearing lacked a quorum, Bichara pushed to amend a portion of the substitute bill to House Bills 131 and 241, which he and Camiguin Representative Pedro Romualdo authored, respectively.

He proposed that firms in the private sector be “allowed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), if interested, to participate in the program.”

The program will be costly and private companies could help in the production phase of the program, said Bichara, pointing out that machinery to be used as well as creating the identification cards could be provided by the private sector.

Committee chairperson Pangasinan Representative Marlyn Primicias-Agabas said that because they had no quorum, Bichara’s proposal will be referred to the bill’s technical working group.

She said that the proposal will be relayed to the measure’s authors Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara (HB 656), Muntinlupa City Representative Rodolfo Biazon (HB 3031) and Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez (HB 4213) before they convene in July.

The national identification system is being eyed to streamline transactions and cut red tape in the government.

To do this, the substitute bill, once implemented, will roll out national voluntary information personal (VIP) cards to Filipino citizens 18 years old and up.