As many as 28 million people have already registered for step 1 of obtaining a National ID, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“Umabot na kami ng 28 million pero ito po ay para sa tinatawag naming Step 1. ‘Yung Step 1, ito ‘yung pagkuha ng demographic characteristics, pag-schedule kung kailan ka pupunta sa isang registration center para sa biometric capture. Meron pang Step 2 na kailangang pagdaanan ‘yung ating 28 milion,” said PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista.
In an interview with TeleRadyo Tuesday morning, Bautista said that Metro Manila is already among the 28 million. He also said that one of their big challenges in this pandemic is to capture the biometrics of the registrants.
“Nag-slowdown kami simula nitong Holy Week while we are actually ramping up doon sa gamit ng aming registration kit. Ibig sabihin magbubukas kami ng more registration centers, nagkaroon naman po kami ng challenge na may mga LGUs na naintindihan naman namin kung bakit kailangang magkaroon ng suspension sa mga operations ng regisration centers dahil hindi ok ang situation ng COVID,” she said.
Also this month, she said, they will start institutional registration where they themselves will go to private and government institutions to register.
28M Filipinos completes Step 1 of National ID registration: PSA
“Pag nagkakaroon ng lockdown, ginagamit namin ito para hindi masayang ‘yung panahon para magparehistro. Dahil bawal lumabas, nakikipagusap kami sa mga institution para magawan sila ng schedule. ito pong NCR, nag push forward kami ng kanilang schedule so beginning April 18 meron na po kaming tinitingnan sa Pateros o sa Muntinlupa ay magkakaroon na po ng registration.”
National ID aims to facilitate the provision of services to the public and give low-income families the opportunity to open their bank accounts as well.
“Aside from opening a bank account, isa pang vision sa National ID ay para po mapadali ang mga transaction sa gobyerno nung may ID. Kagaya ngayon, maaaring nahuli kami para sa distribution ng ayuda, makakatulong ang National ID. Pero ini-expect namin na pagka ang gobyerno natin ay naka synchronize na lahat ng ID, pag ikaw tumanggap ng ayuda hindi makakatanggap ulit ng panibagong ayuda sa iba pang lugar dahil identified. Ito na po ang gagamitin natin na single ID na recognized by all government agencies,” the PSA official explained.