More than 500,000 residents of Western Visayas have already registered for the ongoing Step 2 process of the National ID System.
Philippine Statistics Authority 6 director, Fred Sollesta, said more than 8,000 have registered in Antique and Capiz, between 230,000 and 250,000 in Iloilo, and between 310,000 and 330,000 in Negros Occidental, among the provinces in the region.
Sollesta said registration centers have been set up in almost all municipalities in priority provinces in the region.
Step 2 is the process where the registrant’s demographic information is validated and biometric identities, such as fingerprint, iris, and front-face photograph, are captured.
Registration centers are open from Monday to Saturday and will prioritize those with an appointment from targeted barangays.
However, if there is still time, they can accommodate walk-in registrants, regardless of their residence.
Sollesta said they were done with the pre-registration on March 31, recording more or less a million individuals, and exceeding their target of 800,000.
Preparations, he said, were ongoing for the online registration, which is expected to be launched in May.
Through online registration, applicants can input their demographic information and set an appointment for Step 2.
“It can cater to those with access to the Internet. So I think it is very doable in the region,” he said.
The national ID will be printed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and will be delivered to the preferred mailing address of the registrant or the registration center.
“I know that they would appreciate the many benefits of the national ID that will fast-track the transaction in government agencies, including private institutions. It will lessen the need for documentary requirements to establish the identity of the individual,” Sollesta said.
Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.
The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and opening of bank accounts.
It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present one ID during transactions.*PNA
