Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 15) — Two senators called for an investigation on the delay in implementing the Philippine Identification System Act, which could have facilitated cash assistance in the time of coronavirus
Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson filed a resolution on Wednesday calling for a probe on the status of the law that required a single identification card for each Filipino citizen. President Rodrigo Duterte signed it in 2018.
Sotto said a Senate committee will hold the hearing once session resumes in May.
The resolution noted “no significant headway” on the ID system despite the approval of its implementing rules and regulations 60 days after it was enacted.
The Senate President earlier said the national ID system can help address the targeting and distribution concerns in the government’s cash aid in the current public health emergency.
Duterte earlier said it could have helped speed up aid distribution. He also blamed the Left for the delay of the system.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Joyce Ilas contributed to this report.
Again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we passed the NATL ID SYSTEM almost 2 yrs ago, yet it has not been implemented by govt. ibasura ang red tape and proceed!!!
— Tito Sotto (@sotto_tito) April 14, 2020
