MANILA, Philippines — The target of giving national identification to 120 million Filipinos is not doable in four years due to lack of funds.

This, even with the proposed 2020 national budget that is now being heard in the Senate, the project’s funding will be “zero” under the “programmed portion,” Sen. Ralph Recto said.

The allocation of P2.4 billion is under “unprogrammed appropriation,” which Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said as a tentative allocation or will only be funded if a new debt or tax can be collected.

But despite having P2.4 billion, it will only represent 42 percent of the funding needed for next year. So instead of 14 million Filipinos that will have national IDs, it will only reach 6.3 million by 2020, Recto said.

Recto further explained that the lack of funds had a domino effect on the project timetable.

Based on the original plan, around 14 million would be issued an ID by 2020; 52 million by 2021 including 5 million overseas Filipinos; and 44 million local residents, aside from the 5 million additional overseas Filipinos by 2022.

To reach the deadline, 4.3 million registrants must process 5,000 monthly registration kits in mobile and fixed registration centers.

Recto added that the “no GAA (General Appropriations Act), no ID” would happen to the project. (Gelica Paulo/IAMIGO/CNS)