New ID system from SSS
Posted on January 21st, 2010
A new identification system which is said to help facilitate people’s transactions with government agencies is being planned as the Social Security System (SSS) and the Philippine Postal Corp. (Philpost), tied up together for the implementation of the said ID system.
SSS president and chief executive officer Romulo Neri said during the signing of agreement between SSS and Philpost, said the tie-up between the two agencies combines the use of the so-called Unified Multipurpose Identification System (UMID) for them. “The partnership with Philpost widens the usage of UMID card, which would also pave the way for electronic-based remittance services for overseas workers through the Philpost in the future,” he said.
With the UMID card, SSS members would be able to get payments for pensions, loans and other benefits through Philpost’s nationwide network of about 2,200 post offices, with more than half of which also function as money transfer offices presently.
To help Philpost upgrade and develop its remittance system, Neri said SSS would provide them a P1-billion loan which would be secured by real estate properties as collateral. SSS is the led agency tasked to implement the UMID system.
On March this year, SSS would be rolling out the first wave of UMID cards for its members, as well as those of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
SSS and Philpost would just be the first ones, Neri said that soon members of other government agencies, like the Home Development Mutual Fund, (HDMF) or Pag-IBIG Fund, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) and even the Commission on Elections (Comelec), would also be covered by the said system.
Neri said they aim to produce a total of 12 million cards in the next five years. The UMID upgrades the current SSS ID system which is currently in use.
