State-run Social Security System (SSS) authorized the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) to enroll its members under a new identification system through data capture stations that the postal service agency will set up all over the country.

“SSS members will benefit from the accessibility and convenience offered by PhilPost’s nationwide network of more than 2,200 offices. It also frees SSS from having to procure, operate and maintain its own enrollment hardware and software,” Romulo Neri, SSS president and chief executive said.

Under the agreement, PhilPost will capture biometric data such as fingerprints, facial image and signature for the issuance of ID cards under the Unified Multipurpose Identification System (UMID).

PhilPost will set up the data capture workstations at SSS branches and postal offices.

The UMID was created in 2005 to reduce costs to the public due to the use of multiple ID cards and redundant databases. SSS was tasked as lead implementing agency due to its experience in managing a large-scale biometric ID system.

“Within 30 days from signing the agreement, SSS and PhilPost will formulate a deployment schedule that specifies when and where to install the data capture workstations,” Neri said.

“It will also state the number of workstations for each location,” he added.

Neri also said PhilPost will ultimately be the sole entity to operate data capture stations under the UMID, as agreed upon “in principle" by the heads of SSS, Government Service Insurance System, Home Development Mutual Fund, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and National Statistics Office (NSO) during a meeting on October 26, 2009.

“Since PhilPost will only charge an agency for every data capture transaction, UMID participating agencies will be spared of problems with maintenance, technical support, hidden costs, obsolescence and personnel productivity in the enrollment facilities,” he said.

“The participating agencies have realized that it is much better economically and operationally to have shared facilities for the UMID," Neri said. "As for SSS, we no longer have to buy and operate new data capture machines to replace our obsolete equipment acquired over a decade ago.”