The one with thoughts on the Philippine National ID

The Philippine government has revived the campaign for a Philippine National ID in the wake of the Valentine's Day bombings. Among the pro's: a more improved way to determine and find terrorists, a simpler way of keeping track of one's vital information, including SSS and TIN numbers, and, finally, a valid identification card that one can keep, regardless of whether s/he knows how to drive and whatnot. Its main con, which I believe to be extremely valid, a ridiculously high production cost, with high potential for graft and corruption. Almost 70% of Filipinos based in the Philippines are currently or will be living below the poverty line within the next three years. How is heaven's name are they going to afford a national ID?

Voters ID man lang, wala pa nga, mananaginip pa kayo ng national ID? Please lang, ha. Can't GMA and the other Harvardians in government think of better ways of dealing with terrorists like, um, I don't know, actually paying our soldiers?

Other pundits claim that it's the best way to ensure (read: force) professionals and working-age individuals get their taxpayer identification numbers and social security numbers. In other words, now, no one will be able to escape paying their taxes.

For a president, La Belle Dame sure is sneaky. an economist, but for an economist, La Gloria doesn't quite grasp the extent of the underground economy. Perhaps it's because she'd been living her entire life well protected by her moneyed family.

If you want people to pay taxes, forcing an expensive card on them is not going to do the trick. Instead, scrap the national ID and work instead on delivering the voters' IDs first. One at a time, pwede ba. Then streamline and simplify the process of registering one's business! I literally filled out nine forms in the course of registering my publishing house. NINE FORMS! Between the travel time, the long lines, the rude service (with the exception of the Paranaque BIR, those guys deserve medals), the search for receipt printers, and the ridiculously high start-up costs, I wanted to say, screw this, I'll do it the underground way.

Wanna know what ID should stand for? Incredible Deception.

But I'm a Christian, man. I gotta set the standard because Jesus set the standard. If I don't do my part, others won't either. And my country's gonna sink down to hell in a handbasket.

I have faith in what the Filipino can accomplish, but I also don't trust the Filipinos who are currently in power and have the ability to make things happen but don't. So, I rely on God to make things happen. Meanwhile, I hope the Canucks are ready to welcome us with open arms, because if things don't work out, I'm flying to Canada.