NEWS
US Will Not Consider National ID System


According to CW360.com, US president George W Bush will not pursue a national identification card system despite calls from parts of government and industry following the 11 September terrorist attacks.According to the White House Spokesperson, they are not even condering the idea.

The White House's declaration came as a reaction to a recent surge of interest in national ID cards, which included an offer from Oracle chief executive, Larry Ellison, to have his company bear the software costs for such a system. Furthermore, research by the US-based Pew Research Centre found that most Americans are in favor a national ID card, although most balked at government surveillance of phone calls and e-mails.

In the Philippines, Pres. Gloria Arroyo has already expressed her support for a national ID system which drew immediate opposition from human rights advocates. During his term as president, former President Fidel V. Ramos passed an administrative order establishing a national ID system. Senators challenged the constitutionality of the order before the Supreme Court which declared its unconstitutionality.