Manila: Filipinos are a step closer to getting a universal identification card for use in all transactions involving the government after the House endorsed the bill for Senate passage.

In justifying the Bill 5060, the House said: “It is the policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services and improved quality life for all.”

The measure was approved on the third and final reading by the House of Representatives on May 20.

With the Lower House having cleared the measure, the Senate will now be expected to do its part by passing a counterpart legislation.

Senate Bill No (SBN) 2738 or the “Filipino Identification Act” is now pending in the committee level and it could be some time before it is passed in the Upper Chamber and a law is enacted by President Benigno Aquino III.

The idea behind the measure is to introduce a universal use identification card for Filipinos, which would be honoured by all government agencies in the country as well as those abroad.

“The proposed statute will greatly facilitate and streamline government transactions and promote a progressive society as envisioned through an efficient delivery of basic services,” the authors stressed.

Earlier, there were concerns that information stored in such an ID could be used against the cardholders by the government or any private entity or worse, criminals.

But authors of the measure said Filipinos need not fear that their personal information would fall in the wrong hands.

“The proposed law assures protection against unlawful disclosure of information and records obtained in relation to the application for National ID,” Albay 2nd congressional district Representative Al Francis Bichara said.

On the other hand, the measure also penalises individuals who provide fraudulent information in applying for the Filipino ID.

“Towards this end, an effective identification system is hereby established to facilitate transactions with the government and to simplify the processes relative to public and private services,” the bill says.

The Filipino ID card will be made of tamper-proof material and will feature an imprinted photograph, name, birth date, gender, date of issue, signature of owner, the corresponding individual serial number issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and such other data. The ID card will have the capability to store at least the biometric data of the cardholder.

Filipinos residing abroad will be able to apply for registration and issuance of the Filipino ID card at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consular Office in their host country.

For years, past administrations had attempted to pass a national ID measure. None however, achieved what House Bill 5060 has attained.

Left wing groups had opposed such measures as they aired concerns that the ID would contain information that would violate an individual’s privacy rights.