PSA-Central Visayas ready for Nat’l ID Next Year

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 7 (Central Visayas) said Friday it has begun gathering information for the full implementation of the national identification system.

PSA-7 Director Ariel Florendo said the implementation of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) under Republic Act (RA) No. 11055 or An Act Establishing the Philippine Identification System will go full blast in Central Visayas by next year.

PSA-7 personnel tasked to gather the necessary information in preparation for the issuance of national IDs to the region’s residents are coordinating with other institutions and local government units (LGUs), Florendo said.

“All that we do now is preparatory for 2020’s full implementation of the national ID system,” he said in a radio interview.

The office is gathering demographic data on citizens’ vital information that will be reflected on the national ID, he said.

Florendo said identification cards to be issued under PhilSys will be processed in the regional and provincial offices of the PSA, as well as local civil registrar’s offices in towns and cities.

“We will have a pilot test in a province to test the system among priority clients,” he said, referring to minors, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, foundlings, household residents under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and people in institutional housing, such as prisoners.

“Even babies, upon birth, will be issued an ID under the system,” he said in Cebuano.

Florendo said the issuance of the national ID would not mean invalidation of ID cards from other government offices, such as the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Commission on Elections, and the Philippine Postal Corp.

He, however, said that these IDs may be incorporated into the national ID system in the future.

Under RA 11055, the national ID has a PhilSys number (PSN) that is randomly-generated, unique and exclusive to every Filipino and resident alien upon birth or registration. (PNA)