Amid a lower-than-expected number of registrants this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has vowed to spare no effort in ensuring the inclusion of Filipinos who have yet to register with the national ID system.

The PSA reported that the agency has still not achieved the target of 92 million registrations for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) this year, with only two weeks remaining until the end of the year.

The PSA said that as of Dec. 18, 2023, the statistics office has only completed registrations for 90 percent of the target, equivalent to 82,812,899 Filipinos.

“We, at the PSA and our field offices, are exerting all efforts to ensure coverage of Filipinos who have not yet registered,” National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis S. Mapa said in a statement.

The number of registrants still fell below the target despite the PSA's efforts to bring the national ID registration system to remote areas of the country, or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).

In Manila de Bugabus, Butuan City in Agusan del Norte, PSA personnel utilized habal-habal or motorcycle taxis to navigate rough roads, and balsa or wooden water rafts to cross rivers to reach GIDAs. 

Joel Baeño, teacher and faculty president of Manila de Bugabus Elementary School, described the initiative as “one giant step” in helping the residents—most of whom do not have the financial means nor the time to go to the city to register to PhilSys or even avail of any valid ID

“Napakalaking tulong kasi nagbigay ito ng kaginhawaan hindi lang sa amin, kundi pati na rin sa mga bata at sa mga magulang,” Baeño said. 

[It was greatly helpful as it provided comfort not only to us but also to the children and their parents.]

In Buenavista, also in Agusan del Norte, PSA personnel endured walking through muddy roads while carrying heavy registration kits to register residents from low-income households.

The efforts likewise allowed members of the local Badjao community to become PhilSys-registered, and to be provided with PSA-issued Certificates of Live Birth through the PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project.

“Ang PhilSys team ay umaabot sa malalayong lugar upang madagdagan po natin ang saklaw ng pagrerehistro at nang mapaunlakan din po natin ang mga unregistered residents sa lugar na ito,” Elizabeth Mondejar Abucay, PSO - Agusan del Norte Information Officer, said.

[The PhilSys team is reaching out to remote areas so that we can increase the coverage of registration and accommodate unregistered residents in this area.]

“Tayo na po ang pumupunta rito sa kanila para maibigay ang mga dapat na services sa kanila,” she added.

[We are the ones who come to provide the services they need.]

Registration to PhilSys remains easy and convenient. Filipinos can go to any registration center and bring their supporting documents. No pre-registration required. 

“Makakaasa ang publiko na patuloy na sisikapin ng PSA na maihatid ang PhilSys registration sa kanilang lugar,” Mapa said. “Hinihikayat namin ang lahat ng ating mga kababayan na magparehistro na sa PhilSys at makiisa sa pag-abot ng Makabagong Pilipinas.”

[The public can count on the PSA to persist in their efforts to facilitate PhilSys registration in their area. We urge all our fellow citizens to register with PhilSys and contribute to the progress of the Philippines.]

Meanwhile, as more and more Filipinos are registering to PhilSys, the PSA is also expediting the printing and delivery of PhilIDs, and the issuance of ePhilIDs for use as valid proof of identity and age in transactions.

As of Dec. 8, 2023, 48,770,513 PhilIDs have already been dispatched for delivery by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas—of which, 44,803,320 have been delivered by the Philippine Postal Corp..

In addition, 44,142,431 ePhilIDs, both printed and downloaded, have been issued.