The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) has released 1,022,563 Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards for delivery to various parts of the country as of July 3, 2021.
"This is yet another huge step forward for the PhilSys. We are excited for the first 1 million who will receive their PhilIDs. We are also expecting an increase in the cards we will release and deliver in the coming weeks as we ramp up our operations," Philippine Statistics Authority Undersecretary Dennis S. Mapa said in a statement on Monday, July 5.
Through the PSA's partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), the number of IDs currently delivered reached 317,474 registrants as of June 25, 2021.
The first batch of PhilID cards was delivered in May across priority provinces and municipalities that have completed the previous two steps: Step 1 Registration, which involves the collection of the registrant’s demographic data and setting of appointment; and Step 2 Registration, which involves the verification of demographic information and the collection of the registrant’s biometric data such as their iris scans, fingerprint scans, and front-facing photograph.
The issuance of the PhilID cards and PhilSys Number (PSN) is the third and final step to the PhilSys registration.
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Moreover, the PSA reported that a total of 16,170,330 Filipinos have completed their Step 2 Registration to the PhilSys as of June 30, 2021.
This number of registrants had their demographic information validated and biometric data collected in registration centers nationwide since January this year.
"Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, we achieved another milestone in registering more than 16 million Filipinos in the past months. This is another achievement for the PSA, and we are only halfway through the year. With the continued support and trust of our registrants for the PhilSys program, we are more determined to reach 50 to 70 million Filipinos before this year ends," Mapa said.
The highest cumulative averages of daily output came from Biliran, Catanduanes, and National Capital Region IV (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).
Under Republic Act 11055 or the PhilSys Act of 2018, the PhilID card should be accepted and recognized for government and private transactions and should be considered as an official and sufficient valid proof of identity.