The national government has released the list of requirements for people who want to register early for a national ID. This is in anticipation of the new system’s pilot test in September.
National ID requirements
The requirements were posted on the PhilSys ID website. Citizens 18 years old and above can apply for the ID by filling and submitting the application form available on the side. Applicants also need to submit any of the following primary documents.
- A copy of their birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority. They also need to submit a government-issued identification document containing their full name, recent photo, and signature or thumb mark.
- A passport issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
- Unified Multi-purpose Identification Card issued ty the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) or the Social Security System (SSS).
- Other identification documents as recognized by the PSA.
- Foreigners residing in the country can also present their Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or ACR ID.
For married women who present identification documents showing their maiden names, they also need to include a marriage certificate. In case the applicant doesn’t have the above documents, they can submit identification documents provided by private entities or companies. These need to comply with the requirements specified by the PSA.
Applicants can submit these documents to any of the registration centers listed on the site. Overseas Filipino workers and Filipinos residing abroad, meanwhile, can submit their documents to the Philippine Embassy or Philippine Foreign Service offices in their area. The registration is free of charge.
Rollout within five years
President Rodrigo Duterte signed the creation of the National ID system into law in August of last year. The system aims to provide every Filipino citizen and foreign resident with a single ID card that can be used for any transaction. This is expected to fast track the delivery of services to the public.
Authorities project that they will be able to provide ID cards to a third of the population within five years. Department of Information and Communication Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio said this would comprise around 25-30 million people for the next batch of registrations. Rio said it is important for them to start the registration early to detect any problems and adjust the implementation.
To ensure that the program is implemented successfully, the PhilSys Registry Office is hiring more personnel. These include registration officers, data encoders, and screeners. The application period for these positions is open until August 22.