Law abiding citizens have nothing to fear about the national identification system, which legislators hope would be signed into law by President Roidrigo Duterte by the end of June.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the system would “simplify and shorten processes” because there would no longer be a need to present multiple IDs or fill out multiple forms in government and private transactions.
“Those who are against it are probably those who have skeletons in the closet,” Año said.
“What do you have to fear in a national ID?” said Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde.
Addressing critics of the system, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said: “What privacy are you all talking about, when you’re all always using Facebook?” —Jaymee Gamil