EN BANC

G.R. No. 167798 April 19, 2006

KILUSANG MAYO UNO, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF LABOR UNIONS-KILUSANG MAYO UNO

(NAFLU-KMU), JOSELITO V. USTAREZ, EMILIA P. DAPULANG, SALVADOR T. CARRANZA, MARTIN
T. CUSTODIO, JR. and ROQUE M. TAN, Petitioners,
vs.
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, and THE
SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET and MANAGEMENT, Respondents.

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G.R. No. 167930 April 19, 2006

BAYAN MUNA Representatives SATUR C. OCAMPO, TEODORO A. CASIÑO, and JOEL G. VIRADOR,
GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTY Representative LIZA L. MAZA, ANAKPAWIS Representatives RAFAEL V.
MARIANO and CRISPIN B. BELTRAN, Rep. FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO, Rep. EDUARDO C. ZIALCITA,
Rep. LORENZO R. TAÑADA III, DR. CAROL PAGADUAN-ARAULLO and RENATO M. REYES, JR. of
BAYAN, MARIE HILAO-ENRIQUEZ of KARAPATAN, ANTONIO L. TINIO of ACT, FERDINAND GAITE of
COURAGE, GIOVANNI A. TAPANG of AGHAM, WILFREDO MARBELLA GARCIA, of KMP, LANA
LINABAN of GABRIELA, AMADO GAT INCIONG, RENATO CONSTANTINO, JR., DEAN PACIFICO H.
AGABIN, SHARON R. DUREMDES of the NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES,
and BRO. EDMUNDO L. FERNANDEZ (FSC) of the ASSOCIATION OF MAJOR RELIGIOUS
SUPERIORS OF THE PHILIPPINES (AMRSP), Petitioners,
vs.
EDUARDO ERMITA, in his capacity as Executive Secretary, ROMULO NERI, in his capacity as Director-
General of the NATIONAL ECONOMIC and DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA) and the Administrator
of the NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO), Respondents.

Facts:

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued EO 420 on April 13, 2005. The executive order states
REQUIRING ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTROLLED
CORPORATIONS TO STREAMLINE AND HARMONIZE THEIR IDENTIFICATION (ID) SYSTEMS, AND
AUTHORIZING FOR SUCH PURPOSE THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Petitioners in G.R. No. 167798 allege that EO 420 is unconstitutional because it constitutes
usurpation of legislative functions by the executive branch of the government. Furthermore, they allege
that EO 420 infringes on the citizen’s right to privacy.

ISSUES:

Whether or not the EO 420 is invalid as the petitioners submitted in the court. Taking into the
consideration that the EO420 usurped the legislative power of the congress.

Furthermore, EO420 violates the constitutional provisions on the right to privacy as submitted by
the petitioners.
HELD:

No, because the executive power of the President and as the constitution provides that the
President may by executive or administrative order direct the government entities under the Executive
department to adopt a uniform ID data collection and format. Section 17, Article VII of the 1987
Constitution provides that the "President shall have control of all executive departments, bureaus and
offices." The same Section also mandates the President to "ensure that the laws be faithfully executed."

Certainly, under this constitutional power of control the President can direct all government entities, in the
exercise of their functions under existing laws, to adopt a uniform ID data collection and ID format to
achieve savings, efficiency, reliability, compatibility, and convenience to the public. The President’s
constitutional power of control is self-executing and does not need any implementing legislation.

Lastly, it does not violate the citizen’s right of privacy as it was implemented and limited ONLY for all the
government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations.