Lawmaker seeks more ‘inclusive’ PhilSys ID

The chair of the House of Representatives’ senior citizens’ committee on Thursday urged the Philippine Statistics Authority to configure the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) identification card to serve as IDs for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs). In a statement, Senior Citizens party list Rep. Rodolfo Ordañes reminded the agency that the charter for the PhilSys ID, Republic Act No. 11055, already has provisions for “special arrangements” for the registration of seniors, PWDs, minors, indigenous peoples and other sectors. These “special arrangements,” according to him, could cover the database identification of seniors and PWDs so that they would need only their PhilSys ID—or the national ID—to claim their discounts. Using the national ID, Ordañes said, “would make the purchase booklets of seniors and PWDs unnecessary and obsolete.” —KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING