MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang araw, Malacañang Press Corps, and welcome sa ating press briefing ngayon, September 13.

In yesterday’s sectoral meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) provided updates on the implementation of the digital Philippine ID and other directives from the President; the agency also presented measures on improving their budget utilization.

To give us more information about these, here with us today is DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy. Good morning, Secretary Uy.

DICT SEC. UY: Good morning, Daphne.

Well, since I have the floor… well yesterday, we had our sectoral meeting with the President and we discussed DICT matters. Primary topic of discussion was the deployment of the national digital ID. As you all may be aware, we’ve had this PhilSys ID system that has been assigned to the Philippine Statistics Authority to provide a national ID system. So the data capturing occurred several years back and everybody has been waiting for their physical plastic ID.

So, a lot of delays have already happened and there are many of our countrymen who have been complaining that up to this date, they have not yet received their national ID. And so, the President has expressed his impatience because a lot of things needed to be done and it’s all dependent on the deployment of a national ID.

So recently, actually a few months back, the President tasked the DICT to figure out how do we, now deploy a national ID without having to wait forever for the plastic ID card. So DICT prepared a study and a plan to deploy a national digital ID which is an identity system that can be loaded on your respective mobile phones.

Actually, this is already a leapfrogging ‘no because in most countries, developed countries in the world, they are actually using digital IDs rather than physical card IDs. Because this has more use cases and it allows for better online transactions dahil karamihan po natin na mga netizens are already doing online transactions.

And this became more urgent because during the pandemic, most of us have actually shifted from physical cash transactions to online transactions which gave rise to actually a significant increase in online commerce as well as digital payment systems, so nalaganap iyong digital e-wallets dahil dumami po iyong mga gumagamit nito during the pandemic. So, this became more urgent that in order to secure our transactions online eh dapat po there is a valid way of verifying the identity of each person that is transacting online.

Kaya po prinopose natin sa ating mahal na Pangulo na DICT will take the lead in developing and deploying a digital ID most especially on a mobile platform. But, however, in order to do that, we needed to be able to access all the data that has already been captured by the Philippine Statistics Authority because they were the primary agency tasked under the law to do all the data capturing – iyong mga biometrics natin ‘no, mga facial recognition, mga fingerprints and so on… as well as iyong mga personal information – date of birth and all the family circumstances and so on.

So, as of our last report, I think they have captured about 80 million identities already and it’s in their database. So, for us to be able to convert it to a digital format, we needed access to that database so that we can deploy it on a digital platform. So, that was the discussion and that was where we reported to the President as to how we are going to adopt it on a digital platform so that it can eventually be used for all our online transactions.

Lalo na po ngayon, dahil last June we deployed the… we launched the e-gov app, the e-gov app which is a one-stop shop platform where, you know, different government services are integrated into a single app. So, i-include po namin doon iyong digital ID sa e-gov app so that when you transact using your digital ID credentials on that single gov app eh hindi na po kayo magsa-sign on pa sa ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno kasi nandoon na.

So, example: Na-verify iyong credentials ninyo using your national ID/digital ID at okay na kayo, you can directly connect to your PhilHealth account at hindi na po tatanungin ng PhilHealth kung sino kayo dahil na-verify na iyong identity ninyo so maa-access ninyo na iyong mga PhilHealth number ninyo, contributions ninyo, premium, availments and so on – and many other government agencies for that matter.

So, that’s the status of our discussion. Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, Secretary Uy. We can start with Nestor Corrales, Inquirer.

NESTOR CORRALES/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: Good morning, Secretary. Does this mean that the government has given up on the issuance of physical ID since instead of thinking ways on how to fast track the release of physical IDs, it seems that the government is now shifting to a digital ID? May nakalaan po kasing budget ito sa pagpi-print ng physical IDs. Will we still receive our national IDs, physical national IDs? If yes, how long?

DICT SEC. UY: You’ll have to ask PSA on that. But as far as we’re concerned po, we’re doing this in parallel because the public has grown impatient… medyo, I think four years na po o five years ‘no delayed iyong—kayo, wala pa kayong mga ID ninyo. So medyo the public has grown impatient and they don’t want to wait forever to get the physical ID. So, kaya sabi namin, i-parallel na natin.

So habang they’re taking their time to do the physical printed ID ay we will also deploy our digital ID dahil mas mabilis po ito. Ang objective po namin, sana may magandang Christmas gift ang ating mga kababayan na by end of the year eh ma-deploy natin significantly iyong digital ID. So sa loob po ng ilang buwan, we will do our best to be able to deploy the digital ID system.

Ang importante lang po dito is malinis po iyong data na ibibigay sa amin ng PSA. Alam na po natin na in computer po, garbage in is garbage out. So kung medyo may problema iyong data na maibigay sa amin eh medyo mahihirapan kami na i-deploy iyong digital ID format dahil kung mali iyong data na iyon, mali rin iyong data na i-deploy ‘no – garbage in, garbage out.

So, we have to exert efforts in order to make sure na iyong data na ibinigay sa amin eh hindi corrupted, hindi sira or hindi kulang ‘no in order to be able to deploy. But as far as we’re concerned, kung okay naman iyong linkup ng system namin into the database of PSA at seamless iyong migration of that data, we can deploy the digital ID fairly quickly. It’s a technology deployment now; it’s no longer a physical printing deployment.

Marami po kasi tayong kailangang gamitin iyong national ID ‘no – isa doon iyong sa social amelioration package natin for DSWD, mga 4Ps, itong fuel subsidy na in-announce na po ni Secretary Jimmy Bautista. Eh lahat po iyon, kailangang ma-validate po natin iyong mga recipients – tunay ba sila, hindi double recipient/double registrant or baka patay na pero nagki-claim pa rin. So iyong national digital ID will be a good mechanism to filter out all these gaps or these holes in the bureaucracy that are being exploited.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Sam Medenilla, Business Mirror.

SAM MEDENILLA/BUSINESS MIRROR: Sir, itatanong lang po namin, out of doon sa 80 million, ilan na po iyong mga nag-register for PhilSys, iyong mayroon na pong digital version ng ID nila?

DICT SEC. UY: Actually, they don’t have to register po. Once na na-capture na po ng PhilSys system iyong data nila, we can convert that into a digital format since digital iyong capture eh – iyong facial recognition, iyong biometrics, lahat digital iyan eh. So gagawa lang kami ng system para i-connect iyong eGov Super App natin para ma-access iyong data. So that’s where DICT is involved in connecting. So once ma-connect natin iyon, ma-integrate natin, so we will have what we call a single sign-on system with an eKYC – an electronic Knows-Your-Customer system.

So the way we intend to do it is you would now be able to transact online using your mobile devices. However, of course, pinag-isipan na namin just in case wala po kayong cellphone or wala kayong connectivity or iyong cellphone ninyo ay hindi smartphone, so we’re working out ways in order for you to still be able to utilize your digital ID even with those limitations. So pinag-aaralan po namin iyon at tini-testing pa namin iyong sistema, and once we have it, puwede naming i-demonstrate ngayon sa inyo once na ready na.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Jinky Baticados, IBC 13.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC13: Hi, Secretary. Good morning po. Sir, speaking sa mga ganitong klaseng platform po, like mobile platform, anong safeguards po ang ibinibigay ng DICT para ma-ensure po na hindi maha-hack, hindi mai-scam?

DICT SEC. UY: All our systems are developed with security in mind ‘no. So this is what we call in our approach, ‘security by design’. Meaning, security is not an afterthought. Kumbaga, from the beginning, when we designed it, it’s already with security features. So today, we are using best-of-breed security systems in order to develop and deploy these apps and these systems.

Of course, that’s not always a guarantee ‘no, even the US or, you know, these top-notch countries with the best security and somehow, criminals still find a way, so it’s always a cat and mouse thing. They find a way; we develop strategies and procedures in order to plug those holes. They find another one then, so it’s a continuing … it’s an arms race, kumbaga, to do so.

But we are practicing best practices in cyber security in order to protect the data. For instance, to give you an example: Iyong eGov Super App po, your data does not reside in the app; it still resides in the respective government agencies that contain your data. So example, iyong data ninyo sa PhilHealth, nandoon po sa PhilHealth database iyan. Iyong data ninyo sa SSS, nandoon sa SSS database. Iyong data ninyo sa Pag-IBIG, nandoon sa Pag-IBIG database. What the app merely does is, verifies your identity, your credentials so that you can now link and access into SSS database, into PhilHealth database.

So assuming na makompromiso iyong app, which we find unlikely, but kung makompromiso iyon, hindi rin nila makukuha iyong data dahil wala po sa app iyong data. Dapat i-hack nila hindi lang iyong app, iha-hack pa nila iyong sistema ng SSS para ma-extract iyong data; iha-hack pa rin nila iyong app at saka iyong Pag-IBIG system. So ano po, hindi natin nilagay lahat ng itlog sa isang basket, kumbaga, nakahiwalay-hiwalay iyan lahat. That’s one system where we designed so that it’s not a single point of failure, kumbaga.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Job Manahan.

JOB MANAHAN/ABS-CBN ONLINE: Sir, good morning po. You mentioned kanina that President Marcos expressed his impatience doon sa rollout ng physical national ID. May ultimatum din po ba siya dito sa rollout ng digital IDs before the end of the year?

DICT SEC. UY: Well, wala naman pong ultimatum; kami na po ang nagbigay ng, basically, ng goal namin ‘no. I think we were only being able to be given access to the database, I think, just a month ago or two months ago. So medyo ambitious po ang ating goal na last July lang tayo nabigyan ng access eh, we’re hoping that by yearend ay makaka-deploy tayo. Kung ang PSA po inabot nang apat na taon, eh hindi pa matapus-tapos iyong deployment. So we’re very optimistic. I believe in the capabilities of our people in order to do that.

If you would observe po, iyong eGov app natin po, less than one year in office tayo, na-deploy po natin iyon. In many instances, a lot of people were saying that was an impossible task to get different government agencies to cooperate, to collaborate and to link up their data into a single platform. In many IT projects po ‘no, iyon ang isa sa pinakamahirap po ‘no, na to get the cooperation of the different government agencies to be willing to share. Normally, it’s a turf thing, gusto nila sila ang may control at ayaw nilang i-give up. So nakita po natin na in less than one year ay nakagawa po tayo ng eGov Super App, which based on the reviews that we’ve been getting, our score on the Apple Store is 4.3 – one of the highest scores in a perfect score of five ‘no for an app system. And kung makita ninyo ang mga commentaries, karamihan ng mga commentaries, “It’s about time. Finally, government is getting its act together and deploying online.”

So based on that track record po that we’re able to do this app, single app in less than one year, I’m hoping that with the full support of the President and the full support, perhaps, of our legislators to give us all the necessary budget and support that we’ll be able to deploy this, at least, if not 100%, a significant portion of it by yearend.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Secretary Uy, I just remember, at the sectoral meeting last month you had mentioned and you also mentioned today that a lot of this relies on the quality of the data that will be transferred to you from the PhilSys. And you had mentioned that the possibility of maybe it could be corrupt from the biometrics that has been taken, the retina and things like that. Should you run into a problem, like, does that delay the process?

DICT SEC. UY: Depends on the extent of the poor data collection. For instance, initially, we’ve already seen that there are some na imbes na high resolution iyong camera na ginamit, dahil if you want to do biometrics facial recognition, dapat high resolution po iyong camera to capture all the vital points. Iyong at that time, I don’t know kung sino iyong kinontrata nilang provider, eh mukhang webcam lang or something very poor quality ang ginamit.

So kung iyon ang ginamit pang-capture, pangit po, pangit iyong resolution, pangit iyong ano. So kung iyan ang nasa database at ili-link po natin sa ating sistema na magri-require ng biometric, hindi tutugma iyan dahil the biometric will be looking for those features eh hindi naman na-capture ng camera noon. So ang mangyayari diyan ay uulitin ngayon iyong pag-data capture. Kawawa iyong kababayan natin ‘no, nag-absent or nag-ano para pumila doon para kunin iyong mga data at ngayon, uulitin na naman sila doon. Siguro may ipapako sa krus dito kung ganoon po ang—

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Sana huwag naman.

DICT SEC. UY: So, well, that will have to be ascertained. But may instances kaming nakita na ganoon so—not to mention na gastos nga ‘no, sabi ni Eden, gagastos ulit tayo to deploy that so nasayang iyong pera. But we’ll try to avoid that as much as possible. Sana naman po ay minimum, maliit lang iyong portion na ganoon. Pero kung significant po, hindi naman po madi-delay ang project. We will still be able to deploy based on those good information or good data; ang madi-delay lang ay ang mga portion na medyo pangit iyong pagka-capture eh dapat ulitin iyon.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, Eden Santos/Net 25.

EDEN SANTOS/NET 25: Sir, good morning po and happy birthday kay Job Manahan. Sir, papaano kung—problema na nga iyong nabanggit ninyo na iyon ‘no, eh kung mahina pa iyong internet connection dito sa ating bansa paano po magiging effective iyong ating digital ID at siyempre iyong binabanggit ninyo po more on sa government transactions ano po, what about sa private? So, ibig sabihin ba we still need iyon pong National ID?

DICT SEC. UY: Thank you, Eden, and ka-birthday pala ni Job si Presidente. So ito po ‘no, that’s why na-mention ko kanina pinag-aaralan namin iyong deployment rin ng digital ID that is usable in case na walang online access or what we call offline ‘no; offline access – how we will design the system so that kahit na iyong mga kababayan natin na walang cellphone, walang smart phone ay makakapag-transact pa rin sa gobyerno using their digital ID credentials without even the mobile phone.

There are different models that we’re currently studying at medyo isusorpresa na lang namin kayo once na ready na iyon, ipapakita namin sa inyo para medyo magandang iyong dating ng approach natin doon; maraming mga methods in order to do that. Of course ‘no in terms of access, ang responsibilidad po ng DICT is e-governance – so government agencies ang responsibility namin in order to provide that kind of access.

The private sector will have to approach us if they want to have their private services connect to our e-Gov Super App. But may module na po tayo na puwedeng gamitin ito, for instance, mag-a-apply kayo ng loan sa mga bangko, puwedeng iyong mga bangko makaka-validate ng identity ninyo even without your card; they can use their digital platform to validate your identity using your biometric features and then they will verify their identity then they can now open a bank account for you or open online banking wallet or e-wallet for you. So, some of those features will be incorporated in our e-Gov Super App.

So, basically it’s a National ID but it can now be used not just for government transactions but also for private transactions.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Ivan Mayrina.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Sec, good morning. Nabanggit ninyo po idi-deploy, what exactly can the public expect to be given to them, mayroon ho bang magsi-send sa akin ng link and then kailangan ko siyang i-download? What exactly is a digital ID for those who are less tech-inclined?

DICT SEC. UY: Alam mo, tukayo, our system actually is you have to download the app. So, here we have the e-Gov Super App – so you download the app through your Apple Store or your Google Play; then once your download the app it will allow you to submit your credentials; then with your credentials you have to take a live selfie, provide all your data; then the system now will check the PhilSys database whether your face matches the face that you submitted when your data was captured.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Sec, four years na raw nagbago na hitsura.

DICT SEC. UY: Then you will receive probably a revalidation notice na “Can you just revalidate it.” Marami ang nagrireklamo na bakit ang pangit daw ng picture nila doon. So, I think we’re going to provide a feature where you can choose a better picture if you want but it will still— may nag-suggest na dapat for a fee daw eh. So, when you download the app then the app will be the one to allow you to access the system.

We are exploring the possibility of sending a text message to you because noong nagparehistro po kayo sa PhilSys ay may cellphone number kayong inilagay doon – so, ima-match namin iyong cellphone number ninyo doon sa pangalan ninyo sa SIM card registration; kung tumugma iyong SIM card registration na pangalan at number sa pangalan at number na ibinigay ninyo doon sa ano, then magpapadala kami ng text message sa inyo na “Ready na iyong digital ID ninyo, go to this side or click the link,” and then you will be brought to that site where you’ll be able to access and download your digital ID.

But of course we have to be wary that—mga phishing attempts there. So, we are just thinking about it but we’re thinking of other ways of being able to notify you properly without it being exploited by cyber opportunists or cyber criminals in order to do that.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: So, we will announce that before it happens, so habang ngayon wala pa?

DICT SEC. UY: Wala pa ngayon kasi inaayos pa namin iyong linkage namin with PSA in order to clear up iyong migration at access to those data, but we’re working on it. So, give us a little time – it’s September, ‘ber’ na nga pala ‘no, Merry Christmas. September, October, November, so we have four months in order to do this. The pressure is on us but as the President said we cannot delay this anymore and medyo we are, kumbaga, travelling at warp speed in all our digital deployment.

So, minamadali po natin ito dahil kailangan na kailangan na po ito upang ma-plug natin lahat ng mga holes lalo na sa mga social amelioration packages natin marami pong areas na medyo nawawaldas iyong pera ng gobyerno dahil sa mga fake claimants at sa mga double, triple claimants dahil gumagamit ng iba-ibang identity, parehong tao sa different areas para makapag-claim ng dalawang beses o tatlong beses iyong claimant.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: We have a follow up question from Nestor Corrales.

NESTOR CORRALES/PDI: Sir, just to press on the delay of the National ID. During the meeting yesterday with the President, what issues or challenges were identified that is why the issuance of the physical National ID is as taking forever? And you also mentioned that the President is already impatient – did he mention if heads will roll or if there will be investigation regarding the delay of the National ID because there is a budget for this one, kaya ang tanong is bakit siya nadi-delay? Tatanggapin na lang ba natin na dahil na-delay siya ay we will have an alternative and let’s abandon the main purpose na physical National ID dapat iyong ibibigay natin?

DICT SEC. UY: I think that will have to be…we’ll have to ask the President and we’ll have to ask the agency head how they’re going to resolve those issues. Basta ang assignment lang ni Presidente sa amin ay since matagal na at hindi na tayo lahat makahintay ay binigyan na kami ng assignment na hanapan ng solusyon.

So, on our part we are solutions-based, so we are providing an alternative solution – digital, since digitalization naman ang thrust ng ating Pangulo na i-digitalize ito so nandito lang ho tayo. Whether heads will roll or ano, I think that’s another department’s concern and you’ll have to probably ask them what will be the actions that’s going to be taken. So kami po, just solutions-based kami. So kung anong assignment binigay ni Presidente sa amin eh, iyon po ang aming tatalakayin at iyon ang aming gagawin.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Jean Mangaluz, Inquirer.net.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRET.NET: Hi, Sec. Balikan ko lang po iyong pag-transfer ng 80 million na identities from PSA to DICT. Can I ask more about this? Wala po bang additional consent na needed from the users?

DICT SEC. UY: It’s not a transfer. The database still remains with PSA. We’re just going to access the database so that it can link to the application for validation ‘no of the identity. So, we’re not accessing any—there’s no transfer kumbaga of the information to us. We’re just providing the linkage.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, Jinky Baticados again/IBC-13.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Hi, sir. Sir, pupunta lang ako sa SIM card registrations po. Millions na po ang nakapagparehistro, Sir. Why is it patuloy pa rin po iyong mga text scams and how DICT address and to somehow resolve this issue po?

DICT SEC. UY: Ito ‘no, the SIM card registration was passed in order to pluck a mode of scamming which is through the use of SIM card. Natandaan ninyo po, itong mga scamming na ito ay they’re as old as time. Dati po male Nigerian scams – alam ninyo po iyon ‘no, iyong mga male scams and then noong lumabas iyong mga email, nagkakaroon ng email scams; so nag-i-evolve po at nag-i-evolve.

Ang nangyari lang po is when SIM cards and mobile phones came out, eh ito po ang pinakamadaling method to deploy a scam operation na nahanap ng mga cyber criminals. So, naging laganap ang ating scamming concerns because of the SIM card – and dahil diyan, our legislators came up with the SIM card registration to cut off this mode. It does not mean that the criminals have no other modes of conducting their scam.

So noong pumasa iyong SIM card registration, nang nagkaroon tayo ng deadline for SIM registration, ang nangyari po, several things happened ‘no, number one, the scammers moved platforms – since naputulan sila ng isang tool which is the SIM card in order to scam, they went to what we call the OTT, the over-the-top providers – Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber… all of these over the top na hindi kailangan ng isang SIM card or isang SIM number. So doon po sila dumaan—pati email, doon sila dumaan upang ituloy ang kanilang panloloko dahil medyo nabawasan po sila ‘no.

Number two, kung mapapansin ninyo during the SIM card registration period… for me, in my personal case, I averaged about six or seven text messages na scam per day – six or seven. Today, I probably get one or one in two days or three days. So, nandiyan pa rin pero ang laki na po ng nabawas sa kanila. So, that’s a big reduction ‘no in their capability of using the SIM cards.

And, how are they doing this? Number one, they are able to purchase pre-registered SIM from some of our fellowmen, fellow countrymen who are willing to sell their SIM card credentials for a fee – so, pinagkakakitaan po nila iyon. And we need to warn all of them that kung ginamit po itong SIM card na ito na nakarehistro sa kanila sa isang krimen at hinuli po namin ang mga perpetrators niyan, kasama po sila sa paghabla. At iyong gagastusin nila sa abogado ay mas malaki pa po kaysa sa kikitain nila sa pagbenta nila ng SIM card nila. So huwag na huwag po nilang ibenta iyong kanilang credentials.

Number two, assuming hindi po nila binenta, may paraan po itong mga sindikato na bumili or magpa-manufacture ng fake identity. Sa some areas in our metropolis, medyo madali pong makakuha ng fake IDs ‘no. May isang famous na kalye diyan sa may Manila na pati diploma, transcript puwede ka pang bumili doon. So diyan po nakakabili sila ng fake na ID at ginagamit iyong fake ID upang magparehistro.

Third, eh gumagamit po sila ng social engineering or scanning ng mga Facebook social media accounts upang magnakaw ng credentials. So, titingnan nila iyong Facebook account ninyo, iyong picture ninyo, iyong personal information ninyo at iyon ang gagamitin para mag-apply ng tunay na ID sa isang ahensiya ng gobyerno.

Tandaan ninyo po na noong umpisa po tayong nagkaroon ng SIM card registration, medyo istrikto tayo sa requirement ng government-issued ID. At sa umpisa noon, medyo nagkaroon ng maraming reklamo dahil may isang portion ng ating population na wala pong government-issued ID. At dahil doon, medyo mababa iyong take-up noong SIM card registration dahil maraming walang ID eh, government ID.

So in several congressional hearings eh nakiusap po ang ating mga legislators kung puwedeng bawasan or medyo gaanan iyong requirement ng government ID dahil maraming kababayan natin na wala noon. So, we liberalized it by allowing even barangay IDs to be accepted. Eh dahil niluwagan iyan, mas marami ngayong makakalusot na mga fake or not really properly vetted credentials na nakakakuha nitong mga IDs na ito. So, ganoon na po nangyari ‘no.

In fact, if you would notice, there are some government agencies that issue government IDs na card lang at pangalan ninyo lang – walang litrato. Kayo na po ang sariling maglalagay ng litrato doon sa card. So, kung ilagay ninyo pong litrato ng isang daga or pusa or whatever animal, pasado iyan dahil government-issued ID iyan ‘no na tunay iyong pangalan, tunay iyong ano, at binigyan kayo ng opportunity to put your own whatever picture you want there, even if it is somebody else’s picture or another creature for that matter, kaya po nakakalusot iyan.

So, that’s why we need to deploy this national digital ID soonest because that will now remove all the opportunities to utilize all these other government IDs that have far less verification methods ‘no in order to verify the identity of the person. So, hindi na ho kayo kailangang gumamit ng ibang sistema dahil itong sistema with biometrics, with all the digital verification features will be more reliable in order to do that.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Sir, last na po. How would DICT po defend the confidential fund that you’re seeking? Well, last year daw po and this year, you did not seek for such fund. So, papaano ninyo po madidepensa iyon, iyong hinihingi ninyong confidential fund?

DICT SEC. UY: Well, actually during the previous administration, mayroon po – mayroong confidential fund. It’s just last year na wala dahil last year was the previous administration’s budget ‘no so hindi nila in-include sa request nila iyong confidential fund.

As you very well know po, ang part of the mandate of DICT is to go after these scammers at wala po kaming… nakatali po ang kamay namin if we do not have this kind of capability. Marami pong paraan na ginagamit itong mga scammers in order to avoid detection and to avoid capture or arrest. And we need all the resources possible and all the tools possible in order to go after them. So, the confidential fund is essential in order to conduct intel and investigation in order to go after these criminals.

Na-explain ko kanina na itong mga cyber criminals po are very well-funded, very well-organized and very highly technical. So we need … dapat tapatan po natin ito ng kaukulang kakayahan sa gobyerno na makahabol sa kanila at nakatali po ang ating mga kamay kung wala po tayong proper tools in order to go after them. And many of these tools and many of these methodologies require confidential funds to do it.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, last question from Tuesday Niu/DZBB.

TUESDAY NIU/DZBB: Hi, sir. Doon ba sa system po ng DICT ngayon para sa digital IDs ay hindi namin i-expect na mangyayari iyong nangyari sa ginawa o pag-test ng NBI na nagpa-register, ang ginamit ay picture ng matsing; tapos kapag nag-register po dito sa inyo, walang ganoong mangyayari? Papaano po mapi-prevent iyon?

DICT SEC. UY: Well, mangyayari po iyon kung kamukha ninyo iyong matsing [laughs]. Kidding aside, kidding aside, we’re using biometric po ‘no, we’re using biometric technology to do that already. So, importante po dahil pagrehistro ninyo din doon sa national ID eh vinerify po iyong identity ninyo, vinerify iyong ano at nag-verify iyong biometrics ninyo – iyong finger print, iyong iris at saka iyong facial recognition.

So, I don’t think mangyayari na po iyon dahil the system will automatically check iyong nakarehistro sa national ID with the face that is being presented when you’re accessing the system. So, it will be a one-on-one so sa tingin namin ay hindi na po makakasingit iyong ganoong mga feature. Nakakasingit lang po iyon dahil iyong PhilHealth yata ‘no, PhilHealth ID iyong ginamit doon – eh alam ninyo po pag-issue ng PhilHealth ID, wala pong picture iyan. Binibigay lang po iyan sa inyo is a card, kayo na po bahalang maglagay ng picture.

Parang BIR, TIN number – card lang, pangalan tapos kayo na ang bahalang maglalagay ng picture. So ganoon po ang nangyari, ang nilagay na picture, picture noong matsing so iyon ang tinanggap. Pero may lunas naman iyon ‘no, siguro pumunta kayo sa [laughs]…

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. On that note, are we done? Yeah. Thank you so much, Secretary Ivan Uy. This ends our press briefing.

But before we go, we’d like to greet our beloved President a happy birthday: Happy birthday, President Marcos.

DICT SEC. UY: Happy birthday po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: And to the fellow celebrants – to Job and Maricel Halili and Asec. Weng. So many birthdays today! Thank you so much, Secretary Uy, and thank you, Malacañang Press Corps.

Good afternoon, everyone.

DICT SEC. UY: Thank you.

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News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section