Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) — The governor of Misamis Oriental says he is backing the idea of implementing a national ID system at this time so officials can monitor people who may not be receiving aid during the COVID-19 crisis.
Speaking at the Laging Handa network briefing on Sunday, Governor Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano said the IDs could lessen problems in keeping track of people in a community, particularly when came to aid distribution.
He specifically mentioned the issues faced by his province.
“Nung una, hirap intindihin ng mga tao kasi yung gobyerno sabi ida-download sa local chief executives. Kaya yung mga tao, pumunta sa local chief executives pero hindi pa na-download yung pera. Pero unti-unti, nung nadownload yung pera, atsaka nakatanggap na po ang mga taga-Misamis Oriental po, naintindihan naman. Pero gaya po sa lahat ng distribution, you cannot avid that there will be problems and there will be those again — time and again — who will be asking why they were not included, how they were not included in the validation of the barangay.
[Translation: At first people found it difficult to understand because the government said the money would be downloaded from local chief executives. So the people went to them, but the money wasn’t there yet. But slowly, when the money was downloaded, and when the people of Misamis Oriental began to receive it, they understood. But like a lot of distributions, you cannot avid that there will be problems and there will be those again — time and again — who will be asking why they were not included, how they were not included in the validation of the barangay.]
To avoid these situations, Emano said national ID system could be a big help to local governments.
“I think it’s now the right time to propose an ID system nationwide so we can at least update our records every now and then,” he said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development earlier admitted challenges in distributing the cash subsidy to low income families who are financially suffering due to the COVID-19 crisis, saying the problem started at the local government level.
He said the DSWD turned over P80 billion as early as April 3 shortly after the Budget department released a P100 billion-emergency fund to their office.
Beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps and families with members working as public utility drivers have already received their cash subsidy this week because the DSWD has a “credible” list of these groups.
Bautista pointed out they encountered a problem when local governments failed to present a complete list of target beneficiaries.
Bautista then urged LGUs to be “vanguards” in the DSWD’s social amelioration program.
