Senatorial candidate Herbert “Bistek” Bautista applauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to issue an executive order mandating recognition of the National ID as sufficient proof of identity for transactions with government and private offices.
“It is only now that there is a really serious effort to ease the red tape that is saddling our people when they transact with government offices or private companies,” said Bautista, who had reduced red tape in official transactions at City Hall as mayor of Quezon City for three terms.
“This is especially important for people who want to save their hard-earned money in banks,” Bautista said.
He cited the many cases of workers, teachers or even the elderly trying to open bank accounts but being told that their identification cards were not enough proof of their identities.
He said in many cases, banks would require two to three ID cards from people trying to open bank accounts, which is frustrating for those who have only one ID card from their pension funds or from a government agency, like the Land Transportation Office.
“This is a big relief for millions of our countrymen,” Bautista said.
He said workers in the construction industry commonly have one or just two ID cards—the one issued by their manning company and the other from the Social Security System if they have been enrolled there by their supervisors.
In government offices, like National Statistics Office which issues birth certificates, at least two ID cards are being required from people applying for copies of their birth records.
“This removes the hassle of government or private transactions,” said Bautista, who is running in the Bongbong-Sara ticket on a platform of Internet reform, Livelihood for all and Youth development, or ILY.
President Duterte recently issued Executive Order No. 162 institutionalizing the recognition of National IDs as sufficient proof of identity in government or private transactions.
It cited the “urgent need to institutionalize the acceptance of the PhilID and PSN as authenticated and sufficient proof of identity and age in all government and private transactions to improve efficiency in delivery of social services and strengthen financial inclusion and promote ease of doing business.”
Duterte in August 2018 signed into law Republic Act No. 11056, or the Philippine Identification System Act, which establishes a single National ID for all Philippine citizens and resident aliens.
“We have to thank President Duterte for this determination to ease the burden caused by red tape on our people,” said Bautista.
