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The Philippine Identification System Act aims to create a unified national ID system for all citizens and resident aliens in the Philippines. The PhilSys ID aims to simplify both public and private transactions, providing a foundational digital identity that facilitates presenceless, paperless, and cashless interactions. This initiative is designed to enhance accessibility to essential services, including financial, social protection, and healthcare while promoting financial inclusion and streamlining business operations.
PhilSys will enhance service delivery and reduce fraud through reliable national identification. It will drive the digital economy by enabling efficient, digital services and giving Filipinos greater control over their personal data. PhilSys aims to boost transparency, accountability, and participation in the digital economy by replacing physical documents, supporting nation-building and modernising identity verification.
As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure comprehensive coverage, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is expanding PhilSys registration to include infants under one year old. The PSA, led by Director Paciano B. Dizon, is currently focusing on children aged one to five years old but plans to start enrolling newborns soon. To make registration more accessible for families with infants, the PSA will set up mobile registration units in hospitals.
Currently, PSA’s mobile registration teams are actively reaching out to communities by visiting barangays and schools. These teams conduct house-to-house registrations for children aged one to five and also provide mobile registration services in educational institutions. This approach aims to increase accessibility and ensure that every eligible individual is registered.
In Region VIII, the PSA has implemented various strategies to achieve its registration goals. The PhilSys Registration on Wheels and PhilSys On Boat initiatives have been introduced to bring registration services directly to communities and remote coastal areas. According to Wilma Perante, Regional Director of PSA-RSSO 8, the region has successfully registered 3.9 million individuals out of a target population of 4.15 million, achieving a completion rate of 95.8%. Leyte leads with the highest number of registrants, followed by Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran.
Among the priority targets for registration are the 4Ps beneficiaries, who are crucial for accessing government services. As of July 19, 2024, 684,356 out of a target of 1.5 million 4Ps beneficiaries have been registered. The PSA has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to conduct colocation activities, enhancing the efficiency of the registration process for these beneficiaries.
The PSA has also addressed the issue of establishments refusing to honour PhilSys IDs by warning them of potential fines of up to PHP 500,000. According to PSA IV-A Director Charito Armonia, the PhilSys ID is a valid proof of identity mandated by the government, and establishments must accept it. The PSA has clarified that the ePhilID, a printable version of the ID, has the same validity and functions as the physical PhilSys ID card.
The PSA has developed three versions of the National ID: the physical card, the ePhilID (printable), and the Digital ID. To expedite the registration process, mobile registration units have been deployed to remote barangays, and as of now, 13,117,180 individuals in Calabarzon have been registered. Of these, 6,614,992 PhilSys ID cards have been delivered, with an additional 6,936,088 currently being printed.
PhilSys is designed with robust security features to protect personal data, including unique biometric data and photographs. The system’s biometric scanners ensure that the IDs are tamper-proof and provide a reliable means of validating personal information. Through these efforts, the PSA aims to ensure that PhilSys effectively supports the transition to a digital economy and enhances the accessibility and integrity of public services across the Philippines.
