Manila: The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and virtual wallet GCash have successfully brought financial and registration services directly to the residents of Barangay Tagas in Tabaco City, Albay. This initiative, part of the "PSA PhilSys-on-Wheels" and "GCash KYC On-the-Go" campaigns, was held from August 17 to 19.
According to Philippines News Agency, the joint service hub provided a one-stop setup for Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) national ID registration and complete verification of GCash accounts, expanding the scope of services available to the community. This initiative particularly aids informal economy workers and rural residents, such as local farmers, market vendors, and tricycle drivers, who often face challenges in accessing formal financial services due to stringent documentary requirements.
The PSA's eVerify system facilitated identity authentication, reducing the process from several days to mere minutes. This rollout aligns with a recent directive from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which requires all e-wallets and digital banking institutions to integrate with the PSA National ID system-a security standard that GCash pioneered in 2024. The automated verification process not only helps in curbing identity theft but also eliminates the need for multiple physical IDs for basic financial transactions.
By providing these services directly to the community, even low-income households and residents in remote areas now have access to crucial financial tools, including digital payments, savings, microloans, and insurance. Additionally, GCash representatives conducted financial literacy sessions to further empower the community.
From January to June, PSA-Bicol registered 257,122 individuals under the National ID System, surpassing the 252,885 registrations recorded for the entire 2025. By July this year, the region reached 305,136 registrations, bringing the total number of registered Filipinos in Bicol to 5,596,632, or 92.23 percent of the region's total population.
PSA-Bicol Regional Director Cynthia Perdiz emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration, stating, "The accomplishments of the first half of 2026 demonstrate the value of inter-agency collaboration in making government services more accessible to every Filipino. By integrating National ID services into social protection and health initiatives, we are not only increasing registrations but also ensuring that beneficiaries are equipped with trusted proof of identity that enables them to access essential services."
