LEGAZPI CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Bicol has successfully distributed over 3 million Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards across the region, marking a significant milestone in the national ID system implementation.
According to Philippines News Agency, PSA-5 Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) focal person Rudyard Ernest Sabao revealed that as of August 30, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) had delivered 3,068,200 physical cards to residents in six provinces. “We are continuously coordinating and updating with PHLPost to fast-track the delivery of the national IDs,” Sabao said during an interview.
In addition to the delivered IDs, PSA-5 has issued 1.9 million printed-on-paper national IDs with the same functionalities and validity as the physical cards to accommodate residents who are yet to receive their physical cards. Sabao explained, “These are the individuals who have national ID in our record but have not yet received it. So that they can use it while they wait for physical cards, we printed their IDs.”
Sabao also highlighted that approximately 4.95 million Bicol residents are now registered with the PhilSys, nearing the target of 5 million. “Our achievement rate is already 97.2 percent,” he added, indicating a strong uptake of the national ID in the region.
PSA-5 issued a warning about scammers who might attempt to exploit the distribution process by collecting or scanning PhilID data under fraudulent pretenses. Sabao cautioned, “Do not give your PhilID or ePhilID to any person claiming to be employed by PSA for scanning, data collection, or verification because it may compromise your privacy and security.” He urged anyone encountering such incidents to report them to [email protected] or visit their nearest PSA office for assistance.