Sayang! Ping says National ID could have made contact tracing much easier

Had it been fully implemented now, the National ID system would have greatly helped in contact tracing efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said the system, which became law as early as August 2018, has yet to fully get off the ground, with its implementation not due until at least this September.

“Kung meron tayong National ID ang daling mag-contact tracing. Pag may taong nasalamuha niya na infected pala, ang National ID mas madali. Sa ngayon naghuhula tayo sino kausap nito, e may COVID pala ito?” he said in an interview on DZRH radio.

Lacson authored and sponsored the National ID measure in the Senate. He had filed bills on it since his first Senate term in 2001.

But he noted the National Economic and Development Authority and Philippine Statistics Authority said they may roll it out in September 2020.

Lacson said the National ID system would also be useful in identifying the families who need financial assistance during the COVID-triggered lockdowns.

“Ito ang kailangang kailangan natin lalo sa panahon ng pandemic kasi sa ngayon di magkamayaw sino dapat mabigyan ng tulong, baka may pamilyang nakakadoble, mag-asawa nakakakuha,” he said.

“Kung nagkamali distribution, may naiwan I think out of the 18M plus families may hindi natugunan na 300,000. Yan ang huling count namin 2 weeks ago, di ko alam kung natugunan yan. So kung may National ID system tayo tukoy lahat yan,” he added.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)