The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has raised concerns about misleading social media content that allegedly seeks to undermine the credibility of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).
The PSA released the statement on Monday, Feb,. 5, in response to a Facebook user who shared an image of a manipulated Philippine Identification card (PhilID), falsely presenting it as a genuine national ID card.
“The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reminds the public to be cautious regarding a viral social media post showing a front-facing photo of a registered person’s PhilID that was manipulated using a photo filter application,” the agency said.
“The PSA reminds the public to remain vigilant, verify sources of information, and be aware of misleading content that undermines the credibility of the Philippine Identification System,” it added.
Meanwhile, the PSA has strongly urged the public to refrain from sharing their PhilID and ePhilID online in order to protect their personal information.
The PSA earlier said that PhilSys authentication services are now open to the public, allowing anyone to readily verify the authenticity of PhilID.
The previously restricted PhilSys Check, which was initially limited to select banks during its pilot test run, is now accessible to all via a web browser on a computer, laptop, or smartphone at verify.philsys.gov.ph.
The PSA said that PhilSys Check plays a critical role in preventing fraudulent activities.