MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Sen. Francis Escudero hold different views on the proposal of Social Security System (SSS) chairman Romulo Neri to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use the unified multi-purpose identification cards as voter’s IDs.
Pimentel rejected at once Neri’s proposal, saying he should first be accountable for the controversies that hounded the Arroyo administration in which he took part.
He was referring to the foiled national broadband deal with ZTE Corp. of China.
“Obviously, it’s one such attempt coming from a character who still has to account for his covering up for the GMA/ZTE and other deals. It should be dismissed as a tactic to divert attention from his role,” said Pimentel, who is on his final term as senator.
Escudero, on the other hand, is open to the idea of a unified ID system even as he is amenable to the recognition of government-issued IDs as a legitimate form of identification.
“My view is come up with a uniform procedure for the issuance of ID and accredit voter’s ID, SSS, GSIS, driver’s license and presentation of any one is sufficient to establish one’s identity without need of getting a new ID,” Escudero said.
The ID system is already being used by the SSS, Pag-IBIG Fund, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Government Service Insurance System.
Neri said the ID, which has an 80-kilobyte memory, can still accommodate voter information.
“Our technical people are already discussing how much space they need and we will give them the necessary space for the data,” he said.
There had been plans to have a unified ID system, but these were opposed by militant groups who claimed that the information would violate individuals’ privacy. –Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star)
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
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Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
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Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
June 6: Migrant Workers Day
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