APD | Estonian companies express interest in Philippine national ID contract

By APD writer Melo M. Acuña

MANILA, April 4 (APD) – Private entities that transformed Estonia into one of the world’s most advanced digital societies expressed interest in developing the Philippines’ national identification (ID) system and explore other opportunities in the evolving technology-driven industries.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said Estonia’s Ambassador-Designate to the Philippines Vaino Reinart relayed the interest at a meeting in Manila.  The ambassador was accompanied by Director Marki Tihhonova-Kreek of the Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of several Estonian companies involved in developing their electronic governance system.

“We are aware that the Philippines is about to implement the digital ID and provide their citizens with this,” Ambassador Reinart said.  He added it is a goodtime to come and “demonstrate what could be implemented provided the digital ID is properly secured in place.”

In a Department of Finance statement released today, it was learned that Secretary Dominguez welcomed Estonia’s interest in the Philippines and invited Estonian companies to participate in the bidding for the national ID system contract.

“Our number one interest right now is the national ID, and we are going to be putting out the international tender documents pretty soon,” Secretary Dominguez said during the meeting.

He added the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been helping the Philippine government through a policy-based loan program to provide support for the implementation of the national ID system.

He added aside from exploring business partnerships in the Philippines, Estonia can also tap the Philippines’ young, skilled workers who are quick-learners, fluent in English and can easily adapt to Estonia’s high-tect work environment.

With the average age of Estonia’s labor force of 41 years old, Dominguez said the Philippines can easily complement this with its young work force whose average age is 23.

He added the Philippines has Japan as its demographic partner in Asia, with the average age of Japanese workers in the late 40s, complementing the Philippines’ young and talented labor force.

Also in attendance during the meeting were officials from the Estonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cybernetica, RaulWalters, GoSwift, Aktors and Ecomatic.

It is in Estonia where the electronic video communications tool Skype was development, 99 percent of public services are available digitally, including the filing and payment of taxes.

Cybernetica, according to Ambassador Reinart, developed the secure software system of the Estonian government while Aktors specializes in e-governance, e-finance, defense and security while RaulWaters is behind the technical solutions for the Estonain e-ID and GoSwift deals with streamlining customs operations at the ports of entry.  Ecomatic is engaged in building management systems.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)