The Department of Education (DepEd) has formally introduced student-leaders to the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and tapped their support in explaining to their fellow youth its benefits.
“As our youth are digital natives who are adept in navigating online tools, we saw this opportunity to bring our student leaders at the forefront for the national campaign for Philippine Identification System that will help their fellow youth and Filipinos to access public services,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones in a statement issued Thursday, May 6.
In line with its commitment to provide learners better public services and opportunities, DepEd spearheaded the national orientation on the PhilSys for Student Government Officers early this week.
“We are engaging our youth leaders in our National ID program to provide them better knowledge on its benefits, which includes having wider access to education and public services,” Briones said.
The benefits and features of PhilSys were explained to some 170 student-leaders nationwide during the orientation hosted by the Bureau of Learner Support Services-Youth Formation Division (BLSS-YFD), representatives from the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
BLSS-YFD Chief Adolf Aguilar said underscored the importance of the introduction for the national campaign for the PhilSys. “It is an introduction of centralized national ID system that brings with it a handful of advantages and benefits that the Filipino people can avail and enjoy,” he explained.
The PhilSys, DepEd noted, will provide the youth and Filipinos “easier access to services like opening bank accounts, facilitating online payments, and social protection programs, healthcare, and education services.”
Given this, DepEd urged student-leaders to help the government explain to their fellow youth the benefits of the National ID system.
“Why the youth? Because the youth, using your puso, galing, at talino, we can mobilize and raise awareness for the importance of national ID system ten folds,” Aguilar said.
This, he added, is a step towards “our goals and achieve a Makabagong Pilipinas and with your help, we’re surely able to live in nation where no one gets left behind.”
As steps to raise awareness on the PhilSys campaign, youth leaders were also encouraged to share testimonials and experiences in registering for PhilSys and share informational materials posted on the official PSA PhilSys Facebook Page.