“Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It’s coming up with ideas, testing principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly.” — English inventor Sir James Dyson
Just the other day, House Transportation Committee chairman Franz Pumaren blamed the delayed implementation of the National Identification (ID) system for stalling the delivery of assistance to transport workers affected by rising fuel prices resulting from the war in the Middle East.
The situation prompted the former basketball star and now Quezon City lawmaker to call for an investigation into what’s happening in the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which is tasked with the rollout of national ID cards.
Pumaren stressed that government initiatives such as fuel discounts, per-kilometer subsidies, and fare incentives hinge on accurate identification and proper targeting of beneficiaries. Because only about 50 percent of national IDs have been distributed, many transport workers—particularly those in the informal sector—lack valid government-issued IDs, limiting their access to assistance.
“They do not have passports or licenses, that’s why they don’t get aid,” the former San Miguel point guard lamented, adding that the absence of a unified ID system continues to cause inefficiencies, data mismatches, and duplication.
He aptly cited: “What is important here is the correct data. If we do not have a proper identification system, the government will have problems with targeting.”
“I will file a resolution to investigate what is happening at the PSA; they have a huge budget, almost P700 million, but the output is lacking,” he continued.
Actually, it’s about time there is an investigation—in truth, long delayed, because this should have been done since the first IDs were distributed years ago.
Yours truly was among those who received a national ID from the first batch produced. It took about a year, more or less, from the day I applied before I received it.
I was happy to finally get it, but just a month later, my elation was dashed. The ID turned out to be unsatisfactory, as the photo image quickly distorted, making me look like a two-headed alien from Mars.
For a national ID, its quality was far below expectations. One could even say that so-called “fake” IDs are sometimes better crafted and longer-lasting.
So, we are left to wonder: did someone earn “kickbacks” from the contract to produce the IDs? Hopefully, this question will be answered if the PSA is indeed investigated.
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Thank you, and mabuhay!
