Minority Leader Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III 鈥擲enate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Sen. Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III said on Saturday that he is recommending a review of the implementation of the national ID system to assess the program鈥檚 significance to the lives of the Filipinos.
According to the Senate Minority Floor Leader, as lawmakers, they can polish a legislation if there are many loopholes. This came after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) terminated its contract with AllCard Inc., the national ID card supplier.
鈥淥ur recommendation is to review the program, fix it and for the meantime, pause it. Press the pause button at this time. Let鈥檚 understand first what this is for,鈥� Pimentel said in a radio interview with DWIZ.
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鈥淗ow much is the cost already? Let鈥檚 stop the expense first, then fix it鈥� Since we are legislators, if they say that this law is vague, tell us then and we鈥檒l fix it,鈥� the senator added.
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When asked if it is possible to review an existing law should there be any deficiencies, Pimentel said that it is possible with the implementation.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we need to know. We listen to the implementers of this law, on what they see that is wrong or insufficient,鈥� he noted.
Further, the senator said that he has not met anyone who is 鈥渉appy鈥� about their national ID. 鈥淚 hope I鈥檓 wrong but I haven鈥檛 talked to anyone who who said he or she is happy about the national ID. They are happy that they have received their national ID after waiting for so many years but with regard to its use? How are they using it?鈥�
Following the contract termination of the card supplier, many Filipinos shared their sentiments about the issues hounding the national ID system, like late delivery of cards and print quality.
The senator previously said that he is eyeing a Senate probe of the contract termination, saying that it could lead to further delays in the production and delivery of IDs. In the interview, he said that the probe can still happen even if they are on 鈥渞ecess.鈥�
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) broke off its contract with AllCard Inc. for failing to meet its obligations under the deal, causing delays in production and delivery of national ID cards.