DILG, PSA jump start on-site national ID registration for DILG officials, personnel
By Chito Chavez
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday, June 23, that it has started institutional registration of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) for its officials and personnel.
In a statement, the DILG said 89 of its top officials, employees and their family members were the recipients of the first day on-site registration held last June 18 at the DILG Central Office in Quezon City.
Among the DILG senior officials who registered for the PhilID on day 1 aside from the DILG Secretary Eduardo Año are Undersecretaries Jonathan Malaya, Epimaco Densing III, Martin Diño, and Marjorie Jalosjos.
Over 1,000 DILG personnel, including those on contract of service, are expected to register to the PhilSys on their assigned dates until July 5, 2021.
During day 1 of the onsite registration, Año said that for more than three decades, the Philippine government had repeatedly attempted to establish a national ID system with previous efforts for its implementation “falling through due to budget issues, legal troubles, and poor public support.’’
“It is only in 2018, with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s strong political will, that the landmark Philippine Identification Act was enacted into law,” Año said.
He expressed confidence that PhilSys will enable the country to accelerate its transition into a “digital economy” and it would not just enhance governance but also reduce corruption.
Signed on August 6, 2018, Republic Act (RA) No. 11055 or the “Philippine Identification System Act” aims to promote seamless delivery of service, improve the efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public and social services, and reduce corruption and curtail bureaucratic red tape to avert fraudulent transactions, and misrepresentations.
Three steps in the national ID system registration include first, the prospective cardholder fills out the PhilID form; second, a PSA staff verifies the information in the form through a valid government ID brought by the PhilID applicant followed by the input of biometrics data in the PSA’s database.
Año expressed gratitude to the PSA for having the DILG as the pilot department in the executive branch of the government for the on-site registration for the PhilSys.
“As one of the key proponents of the PhilSys, we thank the PSA for choosing the DILG as the pilot agency for on-site registration for the PhilID. We assure the PSA of our continuous support in rolling out the PhilSys to local government units and the public,” said Año.