Philippines Authorities Progress Through Biometric ID Registration Effort

More than 66 million Filipinos have been registered in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). The exact number is 66,432,398 (and counting), a tally that represents 72.3 percent of the 92 million people that the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) is hoping to register before the end of the year.

The PhilSys national ID project kicked off in 2018, and is currently trying to provide each citizen with a single ID that will be recognized and accepted anywhere in the country. The government is hoping that the program will raise financial inclusion, and make it easier for people to gain access to various public services.

To that end, the PSA is collecting biometric data as part of the registration process. The biometric data links the individual to their identity number, and gives people the ability to prove their identity in the absence of other documentation. That, in turn, allows those who have previously been excluded to sign up for bank accounts and apply for loans, or claim any benefits they may be entitled to through government assistance programs.

As it stands, PSA has already issued PhilSys numbers to 27,553,466 of the 66 million registrants, and distributed 11,535,098 physical PhilID cards. Those PhilID cards can be verified through the PhilSys Check system, which uses QR codes to confirm identity data. According to the PSA, more than 8 million previously unbanked Filipinios have been able to sign up for a Landbank bank account thanks to the PhilSys program.

The PSA is now in Step 2 of its registration drive. The agency is also issuing a mobile version of the national ID card to make up for the distribution problems that it is having with the physical PhilID cards. The mobile IDs can be stored on a standard smartphone, and can be presented as proof of identity in any situation in which someone would traditionally use a plastic card.

Source: Philippine News Agency

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June 9, 2022 – by Eric Weiss