Over 10 million Filipinos have completed the Step 2 registration or the collection of biometric information for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA said a total of 10,092,022 registrants have finished this step as of May 21.
Step 2 registration to the PhilSys involves capturing registrant’s biometric information such as their iris scan, fingerprint scan, and front-facing photograph and the validation of information at their local registration centers.
"We owe this milestone to the enthusiasm and support of our citizens to the PhilSys program and the hardwork of the PSA Field Offices in making sure that registration operations roll out smoothly and safely in their respective provinces," Assistant Secretary Rosalinda P. Bautista, Deputy National Statistician of the PSA's PhilSys Registry Office, said in a statement.
"We assure everyone that all will have a chance to register, especially when we ramp up our operations by the latter half of the year," she added.
The PSA started Step 2 Registration in January this year on a gradual, small-scale basis for an efficient and managed process to ensure the health and safety of both registrants and registration staff.
The rollout of Step 2 registration will soon be available in all provinces nationwide in partnership with local government units, with strict adherence to the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases guidelines on health and safety.
In line with its goals of financial inclusion, the PhilSys also partnered with the Land Bank of the Philippines through a co-location for registrants to easily open bank accounts immediately after their Step 2 Registration.
After successful back-end validation, the 10 million Filipinos who have already completed their Step 2 registration only need to wait for Step 3 registration or the delivery of their physical Philippine ID (PhilID) card and unique PhilSys Number at their chosen address.
PSA has already delivered some 100,000 PhilIDs to successful registrants as of May 15.
In accordance with Section 12 of Republic Act 11055 or the PhilSys Act, the PSA enjoined government agencies and businesses to recognize the PhilID as a valid proof of identity when used by the transacting public.