Councilor Bonz Andre Militar, the ordinance proponent. MindaNews photo by IAN CARL ESPINOSA
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/25 March) — The city council approved on third and final reading Tuesday a unified identification system called Davao City Citizen ID (DCitizen ID), to provide easy access to services from private and public institutions.
Councilor Bonz Andre Militar, the ordinance proponent, said the DCitizen ID is designed to simplify citizen’s transactions with private and public institutions as it serves as a valid proof of identity for all residents and transients in the city.
It is also a tool to provide the city with a complete and accurate database for faster and more effective delivery of social services, and to serve as a centralized access point to all city government e-portals, he said.
Issuance and renewal is free of charge, he said.
He added that residents who have lived in the city for at least six months can avail of the identification card from city-led barangay registration caravans, at City Hall, and through online registration.
How the DCitizen ID would look like.
As part of the application process, applicants must submit a completed application form.
A valid government-issued ID is required for applicants aged 16 and above, while those aged 0-15 must present a birth certificate and a school ID, together with a barangay certificate stating the purpose of the application.
Additional documents may be required based on the applicant’s classification, such as a birth certificate, barangay certificate, and voter’s ID for senior citizens or a doctor’s certificate and social worker assessment for persons with disability.
Once the documents are submitted, the system will verify the information, and applicants will be notified of their status via email, SMS, or during on-site processing.
Upon approval, applicants must visit a designated photo station, either online or on-site, to have their photo taken for the ID, and provide an electronic signature, which will be used on the ID for security and personalization.
After finalizing the photo, thumbmark, and signature, the ID will be printed and prepared for distribution.
Applicants will be notified of the date and location for pickup.
The validity of the DCitizen ID card depends on the applicant’s category — for residents aged 0 to 15 years, only an electronic card will be issued, valid for five years. Residents aged 15 years and one day to 17 years will receive a physical card, also valid for five years.
Residents aged 18 and above will have a card valid for 10 years. For transients or individuals temporarily residing in the city, the card will be valid for one year.
For PWDs, the card will be valid for five years; for senior citizens, the card will have lifetime validity.
A color-coded system will also be used for easy identification: blue for residents, green for transients, orange for PWDs, and red for senior citizens.
The DCitizen ID card shall be presented and honored in transactions requiring identity, status, birth, and other personal circumstances, including but not limited to all transactions with the city government; proof of identity, civil status, age, and address for admission to educational institutions and employment purposes;
availment of benefits and privileges for senior citizens, PWDs, solo parents, students, indigents, and others; voting identification; employee identification for city government officials and employees; proof of identity for the city’s health, social services, and emergency relief assistance; and other purposes as prescribed by the city government.
The ordinance stated that the implementing rules and regulations shall be issued within 60 days upon its approval by the Office of the City Mayor.
It will also form a Technical Working Group that will handle DCitizen ID registration, distribution, and system maintenance for smooth implementation, which will include representatives from the City Information Technology Center, the City Social Welfare and Development Office), the City Legal Office, and the Public Safety and Security Office.
In an interview last year, CITC officer-in-charge Nephtaly Talavera said the Dabawenyo card aims to also serve as a centralized identification card to be used primarily to speed up business transactions, such as securing permits in the city and availing aid and other city government “pahalipays,” for Dabawenyos.
Talavera said they are planning to make this card a financial ID as well, such as for paying fares for the high-priority bus system project in the future. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
