A FORMER government executive has called for a comprehensive probe of the canceled deal between the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and its national identification (ID) cards supplier.
Lawyer Nicasio A. Conti, former spokesperson of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and officer-in-charge of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), said the government should look into the failures associated with the BSP contract with Allcard Inc.
Conti said the BSP’s decision to end its agreement with Allcard due to significant delays in the production and delivery of the physical national ID cards and non-compliance with project requirements highlight the urgent need for scrutiny.
“The delays and failures related to this contract may suggest issues beyond mere administrative inefficiency,” said Conti, who is now with the Click party-list and chief executive officer of Capstone-Intel Corp.
The Click party-list advocates for increased transparency and a competitive bidding process that prioritizes merit, reliability, and a proven track record of quality.
“The failure to deliver this project on time and up to standard not only undermines the government’s modernization efforts but also erodes public trust,” Conti said as he stressed that “the national ID system is a crucial infrastructure project intended to streamline government services and provide a unified proof of identity for all Filipinos.
“I have personally experienced the impact of these delays, having only received a digital copy of my national ID while waiting for the printed version. This is unacceptable for a project of such national importance,” he added.
He said the government investigation should focus on the procurement process to ensure that public resources were managed effectively.
“We must ensure that those responsible for this failure are held accountable. Contracts, especially those impacting millions of Filipinos, must be awarded and managed with stringent oversight to prevent any form of misconduct. This incident should prompt all government agencies to strengthen their safeguards and accountability measures,” said Conti, also a former commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC).
“Ensuring the integrity of public contracts is essential to delivering the services and infrastructure that Filipinos deserve. We must select partners who are fully capable of meeting our nation’s needs and upholding the trust placed in them,” he added.
