Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) on national ID registration step one has reached 8.4 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“We have made significant progress this quarter, with more than 8.4 million Filipinos completing Step 1 Registration as of 09 December 2020,” chief statistician Dennis Mapa said in a statement over the weekend.
“Our current pace for Step 1 Registration also allowed us to increase our initial commitment of nine million Filipinos to 11 million Filipinos before the end of the year,” Mapa said.
Step 1 registration for the national ID program is the house–to–house collection of demographic information. It is where appointments for Step 2 is made.
Mapa also said that Step 2 of Philsys registration is set to begin on January 4, 2021, and would be on a gradual and small-scale basis.
For Step 2 Registration, PSA would validate applicants’ supporting documents and capture their biometric information at registration centers.
The PSA said it has duly informed Step 1 registrants of this new development in coordination with partner local government units (LGUs).
National ID registration Step 1 reaches 8.4 million
“We will continue our Step 1 Registration activities until it is safe for our registrants to proceed with Step 2 Registration. The PSA wants to ensure that we deliver a safe, secure, and seamless PhilSys registration experience to the Filipino people,” Mapa said.
“We encourage all Filipinos to participate once we open the registration activities to the public,” he added.
Step 1 of the PhilSys included low-income families in the 32 priority provinces for 2020.
These provinces are: Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Leyte and Tawi-Tawi.
In August 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the Philippine Identification System Act, which mandates IDs for all citizens and foreign residents.
“Today, I signed into law the Philippine Identification System Act, a measure that will establish a single national identification system that will provide good governance, enhance governmental transactions and create a more conducive environment for trade and commerce to thrive,” Duterte said.