The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) achieved another milestone for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) with the successful small-scale rollout of the Step 2 Registration in San Pablo City, Laguna from 08 to 09 January 2021. A total of 218 registrants completed this step by visiting the registration center in Brgy. San Marcos for the capture of their biometric information such as fingerprints, irises, and facial images.

In 2020, the PSA successfully completed the Step 1 Registration of 10.5 million Filipinos through the house-to-house collection of demographic information in 32 provinces nationwide.

“With guidance from the PhilSys Policy and Coordination Council (PSPCC), the PSA starts the Step 2 Registration on a small-scale, gradual basis to ensure the best and safest PhilSys registration experience for Filipinos in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This allows us to ensure our system’s functionality and security before a bigger deployment, and to put in place strict health and safety protocols at our registration centers. We also aim to start the Step 1 Registration in all provinces this January,” said Undersecretary Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General.

In adherence to health and safety protocols, the PSA scheduled registrants who completed the Step 1 Registration in batches to manage the number of registrants present at registration centers. With their supporting document and appointment slip, Step 1 registrants are to comply with these health measures while visiting their designated registration center on their scheduled appointment to advance to the next step.

On the health and safety protocols being implemented at the registration center, registrant Princes Naing said, “Noong dumating kami, ‘yung health protocols na ipinapatupad nila, okay naman kasi may social distancing.”

Manulito Columbino, a senior citizen registrant, expressed that “Una kong karanasan medyo maganda ang kanilang proseso kasi nga hindi pinagsasabay-sabay gawa ng pandemic.”

The PSA has also partnered with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to enable registrants to open their own bank accounts right after completion of the Step 2 Registration through LANDBANK branches or identified agent banking partners with assistance from participating Local Government Units. This co-location strategy helps achieve one of the goals of PhilSys to ensure financial inclusion for all Filipinos by providing them with a formal identification to access basic banking and other financial services, making them less vulnerable to informal and predatory lending practices that charge onerous interest rates.

"Our collaboration with PSA significantly advances our mutual thrust toward greater financial inclusion. Through LANDBANK accounts, we can reach and provide financial services and government support interventions to as many underserved and unbanked Filipinos nationwide," said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.

Following the start of the Step 2 Registration in the city of San Pablo in Laguna, additional registration centers will also be opened in other areas of the city, and in the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, and Rizal in the succeeding weeks. The PSA aims to start the Step 2 Registration in more provinces by February 2021.

The Step 2 Registration shall be followed by the final step of the registration or the Step 3 Registration which will include the issuance of the PhilSys Number (PSN) and the PhilID. The PSN is randomly generated and will serve as a permanent identification number for every registrant which can be used for digital transactions. PSA partnered with PHLPost for the delivery of the PSN and PhilID to successful registrants.

For the latest information on PhilSys, please visit the official PhilSys website (www.psa.gov.ph/philsys) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/PSAPhilSysOfficial/). You may also reach the PhilSys Registry Office via hotline number 1388 or e-mail at info@philsys.gov.ph.

-PhilSys Registry Office