The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reiterated the significance of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) in promoting inclusion through fulfilling the right to legal identity of all Filipinos.
The Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights state the right to be recognized as a person before the law. The right to legal identity, including registration at birth, is also a key component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The PhilSys was signed into law in 2018 to establish a foundational identification system to provide a valid proof of identity for all citizens. It also intends to simplify transactions and serve as a link in the promotion of seamless service delivery.
Through PhilSys, the PSA has registered 78.9 million Filipinos nationwide, with 65 million PhilIDs and ePhilIDs issued including 31.4 million printed PhilIDs and 33.8 million ePhilIDs.
To ensure inclusivity and to bring PhilSys registration closer to Filipinos in far-flung areas, the PSA deployed registration teams to implement mobile registration. Moreover, school-based registrations are also conducted to register school-aged children, parents and communities near schools. The PSA also launched the PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP), which aims to help the marginalized in securing their birth registration and assist them in registering to PhilSys.
“The right to identity of every Filipino is recognized and promoted by the PSA, and we continue to enjoin everyone to register to PhilSys to make a socially inclusive society a reality,” said PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General.
To ensure that Filipinos can immediately access the benefits of being PhilSys-registered, the PSA is working closely with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Post Office to expedite the production and delivery of PhilIDs.
Parallel to PhilID delivery efforts, the PSA continues to issue ePhilIDs, which can already be used as valid and sufficient proof of identity. PhilSys-registered individuals can visit https://appt.philsys.gov.ph to check if they may already claim their ePhilIDs.