Philippine national identity card

The PhilSys ID will store 13 data points centrally. The identification document (PhilID Card) shall display the assigned PhilID Card Number (PCN), full name (Given Name, Middle Name, Surname), sex, blood type, birth date, birthplace, marital status (optional), and photograph of the bearer. The PhilSys central registry will also store the bearer's mobile number (optional), email address (optional), and biometrics data (full fingerprints set and iris scan).[15]

As a government-issued identification document, it also can be used the day-to-day transactions of registering for a mobile phone line, obtaining certain discounts at stores and shops (especially for the Senior Citizens), and logging on to certain websites on the internet. Schools frequently use it to identify students, both on-line and in exams. The identity number will be considered as citizen's unique identity number for life.

The ID does not replace existing government identification cards that serve a purpose beyond identity authentication, such as the driving license, passport, and UMID.[16]

Filipino citizens as well as resident aliens will be required to obtain a PhilSys ID.[15] In an October 2018 report, PSA head (Lisa Grace S. Bersales, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA) reported that the necessary bid procurement for the national ID system was scheduled to commence at around 3rd week of October 2018 and end around December 2018.

By November 2018, the PSA was working with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) for the proof of concept. With the design of concept done, with testing projected for January 2019, procurement estimated ideally for June 2019, and roll-out planned for September 2019. The PSA set as a target getting 7 million Filipinos registered with priority given to beneficiaries of the government's cash transfer program and indigenous people (IP)s, while they projected that by 2023 all living Overseas Filipinos would have been issued IDs.[17] March 2019 was the projected start of registration for one million beneficiaries of the government's Unconditional cash transfer program while the registration of 25 million Filipinos was planned to start in September 2019.[18]

On January 7, 2019, the target was adjusted to 5 million Filipinos for 2019. The goal is that by the end of the 1st quarter to the beginning of the 2nd quarter, the PSA will master PhilSys's processes such as protocols regarding registration and transaction-number generation. September 2019 is set as the target for the launch of the Philippine ID system. By 2020, a total of 26 million Filipinos are projected to have registered with the ID system while in 2025 all 106 million Filipinos would have a PhilSys ID number assigned to them. By that time PhilSys ID number should be issued to newborn Filipino citizens.[19]

According to schedule, pilot-testing started on September 2, 2019 with a small number of individuals: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-beneficiaries and personnel of the PSA & National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The testing was planned continue until July 2020, when registration is slated to be expanded and opened to the public, with overseas registry starting mid-2021. "The first part will involve biometric and demographic capturing processes. Once the system is stable, operations will expand to cover select groups from nearby regions, Regions III and IV-A, based on different geographical typologies. Set to begin on May 2020, the PSA planned to extend the pilot registration process to test the end-to-end system which essentially involves deduplication, generation of unique PhilSys Numbers (PSN), and card printing and issuance." According to new estimates, 100% registry of all Filipinos should be reached by mid-2022.[16]

The schedule was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and registration was rescheduled to begin towards the fourth quarter of 2020.[20] Registration began on October 2020, with 32 provinces prioritized.[21]

Proponents of the PhilSys assert that a national identification system would be beneficial by easing access to government services, reducing red tape, and law enforcement. Jamael Jacob, director of Ateneo de Manila University's Data Protection Office, stated that a universal ID system can make the delivery and access to public services more efficient.[22] Senator Panfilo Lacson also affirms that the ID will help in reducing bureaucratic tape.[23]

Critics of the PhilSys have aired concerns that the system might be used to abuse privacy as well as a means for control and repression.[11] In particular, Karapatan has alleged that the proposed PhilSys along with the granting of the Philippine National Police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group subpoena powers as part of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "repressive measures."[24]

National Statistician and Civil Registrar Undersecretary Dennis Mapa addressed privacy concerns by citing the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and the PhilSys Act as safeguards against privacy abuse by having strict controls on accessing and sharing data.[25] The system is also undergoing a series of pilot testing to ensure efficiency and security. Senator Lacson has also pointed out that the information to be gathered for the PhilSys IDs is already present in other government-issued IDs such as voters' IDs, passports, and driver's licenses.[11]