Nearly three months since its launch, the Step 1 online registration of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) has recorded more than 4 million applicants.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that as of July 15, or two and a half months since the April 30 start, 4,159,269 can now proceed to the Step 2 (biometrics) process.
PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, thanked Filipinos who showed interest in PhilSys and assured further improvements of the website.
“The PSA expresses gratitude to all Filipinos who willingly took part to reach this milestone. With this additional achievement of the PhilSys project, we are more determined to work on improvements of the site to provide easier and safer access to the online Step 1 Registration,” Mapa said in a statement on July 23.
The Step 1 online process safeguards the public against Covid-19 transmission by regulating applicants at registration centers.
Step 1 gathers demographic information. It started in October last year through house-to-house visitation by PSA enumerators.
Registrants can still register onsite subject to health protocols.
Step 2 will store iris and fingerprint scans and front-facing photographs before the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card is delivered by the Philippine Post.
The entire process is free of charge.
As of July 16, a total of 525,335 PhilID cards have been delivered, the PSA said.
“When transacting, registrants must use the public version of the PSN, namely the PhilSys Card Number, printed on the PhilID card,” the PSA reminded.
The card can be verified physically and digitally.
“PhilSys is envisioned to make public and private transactions safer, more seamless, and more efficient for Filipinos,” the PSA statement read.
Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System 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, enrollment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.
It also seeks to boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present one ID during transactions.
Source: Philippines News Agency
