The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has so far facilitated the Step 2 registration of 60,483,095 for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) project to date.
These registrants have completed the capturing of biometric information such as fingerprints, iris, and front-facing photographs at various registration centers nationwide.
PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa, who is also the National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, hopes the less restrictive community quarantine will allow more Filipinos to be registered in the PhilSys project.
“Despite the previous challenges posed by Covid-19 during the early implementation of the PhilSys program, the PSA achieved its targets successfully. We thank our partners and the millions of Filipinos for their cooperation despite the limitations brought about by the pandemic,” Mapa said in a statement on Tuesday.
PhilSys registration has three steps.
Step 1 is registration online via https://www.philsys.gov.ph and Step 3 is the delivery of the physical PhilID cards to owners by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost).
Mapa said the PSA is confident that more Filipinos will be able to avail themselves of the Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards or the national ID in the next coming months.
While it is ramping up operations for PhilSys registration, the PSA said it will continue to comply with the public minimum health protocols set by the government to ensure that registrants are safe amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Registration centers nationwide continue to operate in compliance with the protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and guidance from their respective local government units,” Mapa said.
“Amid the changes in quarantine restrictions, registrants are still required to observe safety protocols such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and regular sanitation,” he added.
The PSA said Malacañang earlier released a memorandum circular order directing all functional government agencies “to prepare for PhilSys integration” into their processes and services.
The Palace also issued an executive order mandating government agencies to accept the PhilID card and PhilSys Number (PSN) as sufficient proof of identity in various transactions.
Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the PhilSys Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.
The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrolment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.
It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present the PhilID during transactions.
Source: Philippines News Agency