Philippine National ID: Its Benefits and How to Apply

The Philippine National ID is an identification card issued by the Philippine government that can be used by holders as a legal document on day-to-day transactions with government agencies and private entities.

Its goal is to establish a universal ID that can be used to both apply and claim services or verify identity valid for both government and private transactions.

For example, this ID can be used to apply for Philippine passport, driver’s license or SSS loans, claim 4P benefits or GSIS pensions, and verification for application of building permit, business license, or bank account. This helps reduce the number of requirements and shorten the process of any given transaction.

The Philippine National ID is one of the three components under the Philippine Identification System Act / PhilSys Act signed into law in 2018 that establishes the Philippine Identification System. For the Philippine National ID to work, it must be supported by the other two components under the PhilSys Act.

1. PhilSys Number

– This is a unique and permanent identification number assigned to every eligible citizen or alien upon birth or registration in a government agency such as the Philippine Statistics Authority. The PhilSys Number is a randomly generated number associated with the holder and will be the primary key to accessing relevant personal information.

2. PhilSys Registry

– This is a database system that contains information about every registered Philippine National ID holder, including personal information, pending and processed transactions, and other associated data. Think of this as a means to reduce the instances of filling out forms with standard information when you apply for SSS ID or passport renewal such as name, date of birth, or home address.

What are the uses of the Philippine National ID?

The new system aims to eliminate the need to present other forms of verifying identification during transactions with both the government and the private sector. To safeguard the integrity of this process, an appropriate authentication measure may be implemented, such as thumb mark or iris scan.

A few of the uses of the Philippine National ID include the following:

• Social welfare and benefits granted by the government:

  With a database of eligible recipients of welfare benefits (senior citizens determined by their date of birth and age or the conditional cash transfer program), it becomes more straightforward to extend benefits to specific segments of the Filipino population. For example, if a law is passed that allows additional cash benefits for senior citizens during Christmas, a list of beneficiaries will be easily determined from the PhilSys Registry. In the case of OFWs who are eligible to receive cash assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration amidst the coronavirus crisis, a list can easily be extracted and cash can be deposited directly into their nominated bank accounts instead of going to OWWA or DOLE offices to claim their benefits. Take, for example, the case of Canada where cash assistance from the government is handed down to its citizens directly into their bank accounts instead of asking people to travel to a field office, form a queue, and fill out a form before receiving cash.
  

• Application and renewal of passports, driver’s license, etc.:

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  With this document, applicants of visas, business permits, driver’s licenses, and other transactions will not need to fill out forms since they already have records in the PhilSys database. For renewals, it will also be easier to determine their status, such as whether they had expired licenses or unpaid fees.

• Tax-related transactions:

  Since paying our tax is a yearly exercise, the Philippine ID helps streamline the process and avoid overcrowding of taxpayers during tax return seasons. When coupled with a robust online system to support payment systems, tax mapping and consolidation of other tax systems such as real estate taxes, business or individual tax associated with every Philippine ID holder, the seamless process leads to higher tax collection system and identify delinquents easier through this transparent system.

• Admission in schools or hospitals:

  Students don’t have to fill out long forms to provide the very same information every year (full name, birth date, or name of parents). It’s also possible to quickly determine if a student is eligible for scholarships based on individual records found in the database. For hospitals, it will also be a seamless process for medical professionals to tag patients and possibly verify their records to information such as blood type, admission history, PhilHealth eligibility, and claim history.

• Opening of bank accounts:

  Banks can easily verify the identity of an applicant and check if he or she has other records in the bank, pending loan application, or outstanding bills to pay. Communication by mail will be sent directly to the declared postal address and possibly check whether the applicant has been flagged for crimes such as money laundering or other risks that will determine the success or failure to obtain loans from the bank.

• Registration and voting purposes:

  The Philippine ID and further check with the PhilSys database will help reduce flying voters or missing voter records at precinct during election day. Counting of votes could be done quicker if the system gets linked to automated electoral processes such as online or overseas absentee voting system for OFWs.

• Transactions for employment purposes:

  Employers will have a streamlined process to onboard new employees as information such as SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth IDs, home address, point of contact in case of emergency and other details relevant in his or her employment.

• Cardholder’s criminal records and clearances:

  PhilSys can record prior convictions or violations of the law, and presentation of the Philippine ID will quickly determine if the holder is clear of any criminal records. It also avoids the problem of becoming a “hit” when applying for NBI clearance simply because an applicant shares the same name as another convicted criminal or a person with a prior police record.

What are the Benefits of the Philippine Identification System?

Implementing the Philippine Identification System will bring the following benefits:

• It speeds up the delivery of government service.

  A unified identification system removes unnecessary barriers and hurdles and allows for a quicker delivery of government service.

• It helps reduce the commission of a criminal act.

  Presentation of a Philippine ID will reveal the identity of each cardholder, so it could serve as a deterrent to others who might attempt to commit fraud.

• It helps reduce corruption.

  Once government aid is directly channeled to particular recipients, it bypasses intermediaries who may contribute to the slow process of distribution and corruption of funds and other benefits. The identification system also avoids the opportunity to favor specific individuals through bribery to gain access, such as queue for processing of documents or reliance on fixers at government offices.
• It strengthens financial inclusion. There is no need for registration to become eligible for certain benefits such as single-parent allowance, calamity assistance, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and other social and financial help as their updated records will determine eligibility of such benefits. Application for credit cards, health insurance or account in a stock broker platform could also see a more streamlined process.
• It promotes ease of doing business. The new system fosters the reduction of bureaucratic red tape and quicker approval of permits and licenses for local and foreign enterprises, enabling them to establish and operate enterprises with minimal disruption. For example, banks will require fewer checks to process loan applications or car rental companies grant applicants access to their fleet.  

What personal information or data are included in the National ID?

The Philippine National ID will contain the following pieces of information:

• PhilSys Number
• Full Name
• Gender
• Blood Type
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Biometrics data (full fingerprint and iris scan)
• Photograph
• Address
• Citizenship (Filipino or Resident Foreigner)
• Marital Status (optional)
• Mobile Number (optional)
• Email address (optional)

How does the system protect the privacy and integrity of my data?

Data privacy is an issue that is taken seriously that both the PhilSys Act and Data Privacy Act of 2012 enforce strict rules on how data stored in the PhilSys registry can be shared and accessed.

Testing such as Privacy Impact Assessment will be conducted to reveal any potential cracks and bugs in the system via the Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing platform.

How much does the Philippine ID cost?

Registration and application for the Philippine ID is entirely free for all eligible parties.

What are the requirements to apply for a Philippine National ID?

• PhilSys Application Form (Form No. 1) – The applicant will need to complete and submit the
• PhilSys application form to any designated registration center.
• Primary Documents – The following documents need to be submitted along with the PhilSys application form:
• PSA-issued birth certificate and one (1) government-issued identification document with full name, photo, and signature or thumb mark; or
• Philippine ePassport issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs; or
• Unified Multi-purpose Identification (UMID) Card issued by the Government Service Insurance System or Social Security System; or
• Other equivalent identification documents may be determined in the guidelines issued by the PSA.
• Secondary Documents (Optional – to be presented if the primary requirements are not available)
  PSA-issued birth certificate; or
• Any government-issued identification document reflecting at least the full name, front-facing photograph, and signature or thumb mark; or
• Identification documents issued by the private sector which comply with the requirements set by the PSA.
• Resident aliens will need to present their Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or ACR ID.

How to Apply for a Philippine National ID?

Here’s a five-step process in the Philippine National ID registration.

1. Prepare all the requirements listed above
2. Proceed to the designated registration center of your choice
3. Have your Biometrics, Fingerprints and Iris Scan information taken
4. Wait for your PhilSys Number to be generated
5. Wait for your PSN and Phil ID (National ID) to be provided

Where can I register to apply for my Philippine ID

For Resident Filipino Citizens

• PSA Regional and Provincial Offices;
• Local Civil Registry Offices (LCROs);
• Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for its members and their dependents;
• Social Security System (SSS) for its members and their dependents;
• Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth);
  Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF);
  Commission on Elections (COMELEC);
  Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost); and
  Other government agencies and GOCCs as may be assigned by the PSA.

For OFWs

Filipino citizens are based abroad can register at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Philippine Foreign Service post and any designated locations by the Philippine government through its implementing agencies.

How do I request for a change in my PhilSys data

Should there be a need to modify or correct any information reflected in your PhilSys data, the following steps need to be taken:

Changes in name, gender, DoB, Place of Birth, and Marital Status

File a PhilSys Registration or Correction Form at registration centers
Submission of annotated PSA-Issued Birth or Marriage certificate (depends on what needs to be corrected)
The person will also be asked to verify his or her identity through biometric authentication

Changes/Correction in Citizenship

• File a PhilSys Registration or Correction Form at registration centers
• Submit the appropriate supporting documents
• The person will also be asked to verify his or her identity through biometric authentication

For authenticated registered individuals who wish to change their address, mobile number or email address

• File a PhilSys Registration or Correction Form at registration centers
• Or do the above via the web-based PSA portal (to be provided by the PSA)
• The person will be authenticated via OTP (One-Time Pin) and biometrics (facial recognition)

For minors or persons with disability that are unable to provide consent

• Changes in their data shall be made with the assistance of their PhilSys-registered parent or guardian at registered centers

Correction of typographical errors and updates/recapture of biometrics data

• Will be performed under the provisions outlined under section 12 of the IRR of the PhilSys Act and will be validated per the registration procedures implemented by the PSA.

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