PSA: National ID registrants reach 28M as of end-March, online portal launches in May

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 23) – Around 28 million Filipinos were already pre-registered for the national ID system, the Philippine Statistics Authority said, adding that enlistment will ramp up with the online registration portal launch in May.

In a virtual briefing, PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista on Friday said the national ID system slowly gained momentum despite the pandemic.

READ: Duterte urges Filipinos to register for national ID

At end-2020, the initiative listed 10.6 million people in 32 provinces. Bautista said 17.4 million people completed the ID system's initial step in the first quarter.

Step 1 involves door-to-door collection of information of heads of low-income households. Step 2 is appointment setting.

While the figure is below the 70-million target by end-2021, Bautista said the online registration portal will be launched next month. This will allow more Filipinos to apply for the Philippine Identification System or PhilSys, and set the schedule for Step 2.

Step 2 registration, meanwhile, is the validation of supporting documents and capturing of biometrics information like fingerprints, iris scans, and front-facing photographs in registration centers on an appointment basis.

"Magbubukas na po kami this coming May for the online portal for Step 1 registration," she said.

[Translation: The online portal for Step 1 registration will go live in May.]

On the printing phase of the national IDs, Bautista said there are more than four million that are ready for processing and card production.

The PSA, she said, is targeting to produce about 100,000 cards per day beginning May.