Not even the COVID-19 pandemic can stop the start of registration for the national ID beginning Oct. 12, with three steps to be undertaken before IDs will be issued to ensure the safety of registrants and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) personnel.
National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa on Friday said 9 million Filipinos—5 million household heads and other adult household members—in 32 provinces which not only host most of the 40-percent poorest families in the country but also have low COVID-19 cases will be registered under the Philippine identification system (PhilSys) from October to December.
The 32 provinces are Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Masbate, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental, Compostela Valley and Tawi-Tawi.
Deputy National Statistician Rosalinda Bautista said the first step, which involved collecting demographic data and then scheduling an appointment for the capture of biometric information will be on Oct. 12 to Dec. 30.
In particular, about 5,000 enumerators and supervisors had been hired to conduct house-to-house visits to collect demographic information.
After they have secured an appointment, ID applicants can visit the PhilSys registration centers for the second step—biometrics capture, comprised of a front-facing photograph, fingerprints as well as iris scan on Nov. 25 to Dec. 30.
Mapa said the third step will involve the issuance of a PhilSys number and the actual ID starting 2021.
For Metro Manila and other provinces, Mapa said registration will happen by next year. “The target of the government remains—by the end of June 2022, 92 million Filipinos have national IDs despite the challenges posed by COVID-19,” he said.
Sen. Imee Marcos on Friday questioned the sudden modification in the bidding requirements for the P4-billion supply contract for the national ID system, which supposedly benefited an Indian technology company whose projects in other countries were marred by irregularities.
Marcos, Senate economic affairs committee chair, said doubts over the credibility of Madras Security Printers Private Ltd. might jeopardize the rollout of the PhilSys and affect its credibility.
She noted that Madras, which secured the lucrative contract with its local partner Mega Data Corp., was the “only qualified bidder after the bidding rules were changed.”