Marcos directs PSA to speed up printing of PhilSys digital ID

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to expedite the printing of the digital version of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) identification cards.

"Let us print out as much as we can and then isunod natin 'yung physical ID as soon as we can," Marcos said in a meeting with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and PSA officials.

In the meeting, the printing capacity was tackled as well as other issues including the "late start of the flow of data and the volume of the data which is less than what is supposed to be."

The data flow from PSA to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has been rectified. PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said it continues to work with the BSP in further expediting the volume of Phil ID production and printing.

In October, the PSA started the implementation of the printed digital version of the Phil ID. Last month, the PSA said it already issued over two million digital versions of the Phil ID.

According to the PSA, 2,063,007 printed e-Phil IDs have been claimed by registrants at PhilSys registration centers nationwide as of November 11, 2022.

Like the physical card, claiming a printed e-Phil ID is also free of charge. The PSA also said that the million printed e-Phil IDs issued would be accepted in transactions.

The printed e-Phil ID will be honored in transactions as a valid and sufficient proof of identity and age, subject to authentication, in all national government agencies, local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, government financial institutions, financial institutions, and the private sector. — DVM, GMA Integrated News