BACOLOD CITY — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has embarked on a project to register daycare learners for national identification (ID) across seven areas in Negros Occidental, aiming to complete the process between September and October this year. This initiative is part of a broader effort to integrate even the youngest citizens into the national ID system.
According to Philippines News Agency, John Campomanes, the chief statistical specialist of PSA-Negros Occidental, noted that the registration has successfully included 54 children in Barangay Punta Taytay, Bacolod, and 65 in Barangay Pinaguinpinan, Kabankalan City, on September 3 and 6, respectively. However, planned registrations in Barangay Igmaya-an, Don Salvador Benedicto, and Barangay Robles, La Castellana were postponed due to bad weather and increased seismic activities from Mt. Kanlaon.
The national ID drive, termed the “Rehistro Bulilit Campaign,” is targeting selected daycare centers in seven legislative districts of the province. Future registration events are scheduled for Barangay Colonia Divina, Sagay City on September 27; Barangay 1, La Carlota City on October 4; and Barangay Consing, E.B. Magalona on October 11. This campaign is part of the PSA’s strategy to deliver ID services closer to the population, focusing on what it calls the country’s “little seeds of hope.”
Since March of this year, the PSA has allowed the registration of Filipino children aged one to four into the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), extending efforts to ensure all citizens are included in the national database. For registration, a parent or guardian who is already enrolled in PhilSys must be present, and the child’s new PhilSys number will be linked to that of the accompanying adult. Essential documents are required to validate the demographic details of the child.