Ninth Entry: Innovative Technology + Bad Governance = RFID

Last January 12, 2010, the Supreme Court issued a TRO on the collection of fees for the implementation of the RFID system. Good move for the Supreme Court given the alleged irregularities surrounding the Stradcom dealing (bidding, etc), but a bit too late considering that 899,993 motorists already paid the required P350 for the RFID gadget. The problem now is how to refund the 31 million pesos collected from these unfortunate motorists (which allegedly was, faster than the speed of light, remitted to the national treasury)

RFID is a sort-of tag applied to or incorporated into some object (i.e., a car) for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. The function of the device was already discussed by Hermie in her previous blog. And those who care enough to watch the news or read the papers would know of the various notable applications, benefits, and uses of the RFID system. For instance, the LTO proposed RFID tag will include the vehicle's engine and plate numbers, the owner's name, the last registration date, as well as the vehicle's make, series and year model. Indeed, this information would be a big assistance to authorities in their pursuit of recovering stolen vehicles. With the RFID, “kolorum” can be effectively prevented as PUVs plying their routes without a valid franchise can be identified. The RFID tag on motor vehicles is actually used in different countries, such as China, Dubai, Singapore and the US. In the Philippines in fact, we are already using the same technology in our passports with the new “e-passports.”

Taking the sensitive topic of privacy out of the picture, I believe that the present controversy again boils down to one key issue- trust. For all the good things that the RFID system may offer, the real problem is that we do not trust the very government who is proposing the system. The slight charge of irregularity, coupled by the fact that a large sum of money is involved in this particular case, will send the infuriated people rallying and filing court petitions left and right against the government, who, for them, has never done anything right. Don’t take me wrong, I am not exactly a big fan of this administration and probably would be among those who will protest if ever I’d be asked to pay that P350 when I register my car. The fact is that I want to be assured that the money I’ll be paying would not end up in somebody else’s pocket, or campaign funds, for that matter. I want to be assured that the information in my RFID tag will be used for transportation purposes only, and not for military surveillance. The unfortunate reality in this country is that innovative technology and good IT infrastructure are rendered inutile by bad governance.

My car needs to be registered on March. I just hope that the Supreme Court does not lift the TRO until then.

(Source: data from TV patrol episode on RFID, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification#Passports_2, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100113-247035/High-court-stops-RFID-tells-LTO-to-refund-fees photo: http://img30.imageshack.us/i/pinoytoonu.gif/)