The Philippines faces a 36 million backlog in national ID cards due to a contract issue with AllCard Inc. The PSA has issued 55 million cards and is working to enhance integration with government services. Efforts to promote the national ID in financial sectors are underway, while a new ID system for persons with disabilities aims to combat fraud and improve security.
The Philippines is currently facing a substantial backlog of 36 million national ID cards, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Despite successfully registering 91.7 million Filipinos and issuing 55 million physical cards, the distribution has been delayed due to the cancellation of the contract with AllCard Inc. by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This backlog is discouraging some citizens from participating in the national ID initiative.
The PSA is actively working to improve the situation by integrating the national ID into more government services. An agreement was made with Pilipinas Teleserv to enhance access to civil registry documents through the PSAHelpline.ph platform. This development aims to streamline the process for Filipino citizens in acquiring essential documents like birth and marriage certificates.
Furthermore, the PSA is promoting the national ID system within financial institutions to foster financial inclusion. Notable banks, such as Asia United Bank and Bank of the Philippine Islands, have begun incorporating the digital ID into their services for account opening and verification, facilitating online transactions for users.
To enhance security for persons with disabilities, the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development is initiating a unified ID system featuring biometric verification and RFID chips. This standardized ID aims to reduce fraudulent activities, which currently affect the economic landscape by costing the country substantial tax revenues due to fake PWD IDs being misused for discounts.
The Philippine national ID system is facing considerable challenges, including a significant card backlog due to supply chain issues and fraudulent activities impacting the welfare of individuals and government revenues. However, the ongoing efforts to integrate the national ID into various sectors, especially finance and social services, represent significant strides toward improving identity verification and promoting financial inclusion. Upcoming initiatives, particularly for persons with disabilities, aim to mitigate current issues and establish a more secure, efficient identification system.
Original Source: www.biometricupdate.com
