The Social Security System (SSS) leadership has warned members not to contact online fixers if they wish to obtain a Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID) Card.
According to SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio, only SSS is authorized to accept UMID card applications and issue them to members, so there is no reason to transact with online fixers to obtain such cards.
Ignacio said that biometrics data capturing is important on UMID Cards and can only be done at SSS branches.
“We are reminding our members to refrain from transacting with fixers to avoid any inconvenience,” said Ignacio.
It also advised SSS members to first book an appointment at the branch they wish to visit using the Appointment System on the My.SSS Member Portal to avoid the risk of infection with Covid-19.
Members can get UMID Cards from SSS even with only one month’s contribution.
UMID Cards are also free for first-time applicants, and there is a fee of P200 for those who change or renew.
Petition to postpone the election will not proceed
Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez believes it will not advance a petition seeking to postpone the 2022 Elections and hold it to 2025 because the pandemic threat continues.
“The petition itself, just on the surface of it, seems unlikely to prosper,” according to Jimenez regarding the petition filed by the group posing as the Coalition for Life and Democracy (NCLD).
The request to move the election to 2025 is said to be the main reason the petition will not be advanced because it would violate the provisions of the Constitution.
He said the Comelec could only suspend the election for a short time if the conditions for free and fair elections are not seen.
“I think those particular criteria do not exist right now, so I don’t see any justification for granting this sort of petition,” said Jimenez.
He said he sees two problems in the petition. First is its violation of the Constitution, and second, there is no provision in the Constitution for ‘holdover’ of positions featured in elections.
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