Accelerate roll-out of the Philippine National ID system
January 9, 2023CitizenWatch calls on the government to fast-track the implementation of the Philippine National ID as this would accelerate the digital transformation of all sectors in both public and private enterprises.
This would be critical to a sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The national ID is not just any other ID card. Validation of a person’s identity establishes trust in the fulfillment of all kinds of transactions and opens up opportunities to successfully participate in the fast-growing digital ecosystem.
Eventually, with a well-implemented ID system using biometrics, we won’t even need an ID card because printed cards can be faked, anyway. This ID system is truly a game-changing digital platform and will be integral to an emerging digital economy.
If implemented and executed right, the result of the national ID system would enable secure, simplified, and efficient in-person or online transactions. All these are key to the government’s drive to promote the ease of doing business across the economic horizon.
Indeed, the advantages of a secure and fully operational digital ID system has great implications for our economy. It will expand access to financial technologies to empower more productive participants across all sectors of the population.
The identification system will also boost e-commerce because we will know whom we are dealing with online. There will be no more anonymous parties and misrepresentations in online selling platforms. Responsibility and discipline will be instilled in both sellers and buyers, effectively preventing online fraud and scams.
Moreover, the efficiency of public services in national agencies and local government units will be enhanced. We save time and effort because we would no longer need multiple government IDs to show proof of identity and transactions will be faster.
The ID system, through biometrics that ascertain a person’s identity, will also help discourage crime and provide a boost to law enforcement. The enforcement of the SIM Registration Act will also be facilitated by linking each SIM to a user’s PhilID, making each call and SMS traceable to the individual subscriber.
NTC data has reported 11,219,722 SIM cards registered as of January 2, 2023. This could have been much faster had the PhilID been already operational.
Still, all these gains and the overall success of the national ID system will hinge on the development of our digital infrastructure that would, in turn, deliver stable and fast connectivity on a nationwide scale.
This is why public-private partnerships in the digital and telecommunication industry are crucial. We have to have the infrastructure backbone in place so all Filipinos will benefit as envisioned.