The Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion provided manpower and transportation assistance in distributing  the National Identification System (PhilSys) registration kits to Philippine Statistics Authority-Negros Occidental Provincial Office on Monday, November 23.

A Philippine Navy ship BRP Ivatan (LC298) skippered by Commander Paul Anthony Yamamoto arrived at the Bredco port in Bacolod City carrying a total of 1,897 PhilSys registration kits to be distributed to eight provinces in the Visayas, of which 381 are for Negros Occidental.

The registration kits, each composed of a luggage of equipment and a photobooth kit, will be used during PhilSys registration Step 2, specifically in capturing the biometric information of applicants at the registration center.

PSA NegOcc Provincial Office Chief Statistical Specialist Luis O. Gonzales thanked the Philippine Navy and Philippine Army for the assistance in ensuring the safe and unhampered delivery of the registration kits.

“PSA Negros Occidental is very grateful to receive the 381 sets of registration kits for the Philippine ID System. The kits will be distributed to 32 LGUs of the province where we will establish the LGU-based registration centers to cater registrants for the national ID,” said Gonzales.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Alvaran, 79th IB Commanding Officer, said that, “The National ID system will help law enforcement agencies to track down criminals and terrorists easily and prevent these lawless elements from obtaining false identities to carry out illegal activities.”

He added, “This will also enable our government to have a more efficient system to implement social assistance programs such as delivery of basic services as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in times of emergencies. Transactions then will be made easier.”/WDJ