When can cops get your info under nat’l ID system?

Can the police or the military access your private information, such as your address or mobile number, under the proposed national ID system?

Yes, “when the interest of public health or safety requires it” and under three other circumstances.

Under House Bill No. 6221, or the “Filipino Identification System Bill,” no person may disclose, collect, publish or use any personal data registered in the database, nor give access to them to third parties, including law enforcement agencies, national security agencies or the Armed Forces.

But there are four circumstances when third parties, including the police or the military, may gain access to the private information of Filipino citizens under the proposed new law:

• When the holder of the ID card expressly authorizes the disclosure of such information to a third person, entity or agency
• In case of accident, disaster or fortuitous events, when information on the medical history of the holder such as the blood type or special medical needs are needed by medical institutions and health service workers
• When the interest of the public health or safety requires so
• Upon the order of any competent court.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on second reading on Wednesday.

In a House news release on Saturday, proponents made a renewed push for the priority measure, which was criticized by Makabayan lawmakers for possibly leaving the citizenry’s personal information vulnerable to hacking and other security breaches and profiling private individuals.

Former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., principal author of the bill, said the Philippines was one of only nine countries in the world without a national identification system.

Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said a unified identification system would enhance the integrity and reliability of government-issued identification cards in private transactions and prevent falsification.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chair of the House appropriations committee, said the Filipino Identification System should “cause all citizens of the Republic to be responsible for their own well-being but accountable for their actions.”

Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez said it would further the government’s effort in combating corruption and minimizing red tape in government and private transactions.

The bill will require all adult Filipinos to secure a “Filipino ID card” containing personal information, such as their name, date of birth, blood type, height, weight, and permanent address.

Confidential information will also be stored in a corresponding database to be kept by the government, including, among other things, their e-mail address, mobile number, marriage certificate, passport, social security and tax identification numbers, and even their parents’ birth certificate.

The ID card, which will contain a smart chip with an individual’s biometric information such as fingerprint and iris scans, shall serve as the official government-issued identification document of a cardholder in dealing with the government.