World Bank Says Fast Tracking PhilSys Will Improve Govt’s Social Assistance Programs

The World Bank is advising the national government to speed up the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) rollout as they claim it’s proven to enhance the social assistance distribution of governments.

According to Ms. Yoonyoung Cho, a senior economist in the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice in the World Bank has stated that the solution for improved implementation of social assistance programs would be PhilSys.

Ms. Cho stated that “I am aware that many people are waiting for the Phil-ID card but in fact, more than the card itself, the PhilSys number that contains key information is most important. The Philippine Statistics Authority should be expediting the use of a mobile ID or QR codes without the physical card,”

She goes on to say that once PhilSys is adopted and used by the social assistance programs, it can clean up the process and create a database for beneficiaries in times of calamities.

Countries that used a national ID system and digital implementations can swiftly give assistance in the course of the pandemic says Ms. Cho.

Currently, there is no mechanism to authenticate and pinpoint vulnerable households when COVID-19 reached the Philippines since the PhilSys or national ID program was not yet in place.

To add, there was no beneficiary database that the government could refer to which impeded the COVID-19 social amelioration program in the country.

Ms. Cho also says that with the limited resources of the government, it’s important to prioritize the most vulnerable and poorest households with social assistance programs.

“Prioritizing those in greatest need enhances fiscal efficiency, meaning greater impact for peso spent,” she says.

Aside from stressing the importance of a beneficiary database, it was also recommended to move to give our food packs instead of cash aids during a calamity.

Source: Philstar