About the PhilSys

Republic Act No. 11055, otherwise known as the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national identification system for all citizens and resident aliens of the Republic of the Philippines. Signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in August 2018, the valid proof of identity provided by the PhilSys shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, and shall be a social and economic platform that promotes seamless social service delivery and strengthening of financial inclusion for both public and private services. As a foundational digital ID system, the PhilSys will transform how services are delivered and accessed in the Philippines, and accelerate our transition to a digital economy, including to enable presenceless, paperless and cashless transactions.

The PhilSys project emphasizes inclusive coverage, enabling access to the most vulnerable groups such as the poor, people living in geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. Built on a Privacy-by-Design principle, the PhilSys will adopt the latest technologies and innovations in the implementation of the project underscoring the importance of privacy of individuals and security of information under the system.

The PhilSys is envisioned to:

  • Make services more accessible. PhilSys will be accessible to all Filipinos and its credential will be accepted for most transactions. It will provide access to financial, social protection, health education and other Government services;
  • Promote ease of doing business. It will provide a platform for the Government and private sector to identify and verify their customer in a digital and automated manner both in-person and online transactions;
  • Enhance the integrity of services and reducing fraud. PhilSys will uniquely identify each registered person at a national scale with high-level of assurance, eliminate identity fraud and strengthen integrity of functional identification registries;
  • Enable and promote participation and trust in digital government and the digital economy. PhilSys should enable to broader transition to digital, online citizen-centric service delivery by Government and the private sector; and
  • Empower Filipinos with greater control over their personal data. The PhilSys will give PSN-holders the ability to determine who sees what data about them when carrying out transactions using the PhilSys, it will contribute to greater transparency and accountability for how data is used in the Philippines.

A foundational digital ID system, like PhilSys, will contribute to nation building. It will enable the Philippines to move away from inefficient and expensive physical documents, processes and credentials to the use of digital equivalents.

RA 11055 and its IRR
Republic Act No. 11055, otherwise known as the “Philippine Identification System Act” was signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on 06 August 2018. This mandates the PSA to be the implementing agency of the PhilSys and the creation of the PhilSys Policy and Coordination Council (PSPCC) to formulate policies and guidelines to ensure effective implementation of the PhilSys. Pursuant to RA 11055, Its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) was approved by the member-agencies of the PSPCC on 05 October 2018 and was published in Daily Tribune on 06 October 2018

Frequently Asked Questions

General Concerns

  1. What is RA 11055?
    Republic Act No. 11055 otherwise known as “Philippine Identification System Act” is an act establishing a single national identification system that aims to provide a valid proof of identity for Filipino citizens and resident aliens of the Philippines, signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on 06 August 2018.
  2. What is PhilSys?
    The Philippine Identification System or PhilSys is the government’s central identification platform for all Filipino citizens and resident aliens of the Philippines.
  3. What is PhilID?
    The PhilID is a valid proof of identity that can be used to transact with the government and private sector. It is a non-transferable card issued upon successful registration to the PhilSys.

Registration

  1. When is the registration?
    PSA targets to start the registration of the general public by 2021.
  2. Where do I register?

PSA will establish both fixed and mobile registration centers in strategic locations to register the population to PhilSys. Currently, PSA is in coordination with LGUs, government agencies, and private sector to determine these locations. Further updates on the exact locations of registration centers will be released prior to the opening of PhilSys registration.

PhilID and Documentary Requirements

  1. Will the PhilID replace other government IDs?

The PhilID will not replace the existing functional IDs that serve other purposes. The PhilID is a foundational ID which serves as a valid proof of identity which would help ease transactions with both government and private sector through easier validation and authentication of identity.

  1. What are the requirements in applying for a PhilID?

The applicants are advised to present an original copy of at least one (1) of the following:

Primary Documents:

  1. PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth AND one (1) government-issued identification document which bears full name, front-facing photograph, and signature or thumb mark.
  2. DFA-issued Philippine Passport or ePassport;
  3. GSIS or SSS-issued Unified Multi-purpose Identification Card (UMID);
  4. Land Transportation Office (LTO)-issued Student’s License Permit or Non-Professional/Professional Driver’s License

Secondary Documents:

  1. PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth/NSO-issued Certificate of Live Birth with Birth Reference Number (BreN)
  2. LCRO-issued Certificate of Live Birth
  3. PSA-issued Report of Birth
  4. PSA-issued Certificate of Foundling
  5. Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Identification Card
  6. Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) ID
  7. Seaman’s Book
  8. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ID
  9. Senior Citizen’s ID
  10. SSS ID
  11. Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) ID
  12. Licence to Own or Possess Firearms (LTOPF) ID
  13. NBI Clearance
  14. Police Clearance/ID
  15. Solo Parent’s ID
  16. PWD ID
  17. Voter’s ID
  18. Postal ID
  19. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) ID
  20. Philhealth ID
  21. Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA)-issued Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV)
  22. National ID from other countries
  23. Residence ID from other countries

The following identification documents shall be accepted as secondary supporting documents provided that they have a front-facing photograph, signature/Thumbmark, Full Name, Permanent Address, Date of Birth.

  • Employee ID
  • School ID
  • Barangay Clearance/Certificate
  • Barangay ID
  • City/Municipal ID
  1. How long is the validity of the PhilID?

The PhilID of Filipinos has no expiration date while the PhilID issued to resident aliens is only valid for one (1) year.

Fees

  1. How much is the PhilID?

The PhilID is free of charge for the initial issuance for Filipinos. Fee shall only apply for the replacement of the PhilID due to damage or loss. Holders of Certificate of Indigency are exempted from the said fee as long as they present their certificate.

Data Privacy and Security

  1. How will the PSA ensure the data privacy and security of the information being uploaded in the PhilSys?

The PSA takes seriously the responsibility of ensuring the privacy, security, and integrity of registered persons’ data. Sufficient safeguards shall be in place to ensure information security, cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, including in compliance with the Data Privacy Act.

The PSA has been working closely with the National Privacy Commission (NPC), the DICT, and the National Security Council regarding the architecture and processes of the PhilSys, including to identify and mitigate privacy and cybersecurity risks.

The PhilSys design adopts Privacy by Design principles wherein privacy is incorporated into its technologies by default and from the start. For example, the PhilSys collects and stores minimal data and the PhilSys Number (PSN) is fully randomized, not revealing any information about the person such as their date of birth.

Further Information / Updates

  1. Where can I get further information on PhilSys?

For further information on PhilSys, you may visit the official website of PSA and/or like and follow the official Facebook page of PhilSys: @PSAPhilSysOfficial.