MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday questioned the failure of the national government to fully implement the national ID system, which has been blamed for the slow-paced delivery of the cash aid for the poor most affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Luzon.

Speaking to reporters in a Viber message, Sotto answered his own question — bureaucratic red tape.

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“The system should have been in place now if not for the red tape. I will urge the Senate to investigate why this is so when we resume,” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message on Tuesday.

Congress went on a two-month break on March 12 and will resume session on May 4.

Sotto said that he would push for a Senate probe on why the national ID system has yet to be put in place, when it was enacted into law two years ago.

On Twitter, Sotto also called the attention of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on the implementation of the national ID system.

“Again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we passed the (national ID system) almost 2 yrs ago, yet it has not been implemented by (government. Ibasura ang red tape and proceed!!!” the Senate leader said.

Sotto had already called for a “full blown execution” of the system, saying it would address the discrepancies between the databases of the national government and the local government units with regards to the list of beneficiaries for the COVID-19 emergency subsidy program provided under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

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President Rodrigo Duterte, in a televised address late Monday, also admitted that the national ID system could have expedited the distribution of said cash assistance.

This as he took note of delays faced by the government’s two-month social amelioration program for low-income families due to discrepancies in the lists of beneficiaries, among other issues.

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