The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is aiming to launch a digital national identification (ID) that can be conveniently stored on smartphones by the end of this year, according to a senior official.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan Uy announced the timeline during a press briefing. Secretary Uy revealed that the office of the President had expressed impatience with the prolonged process of issuing physical national IDs. As a result, the DICT has set ambitious targets to deploy digital national IDs as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged a swift resolution to the delays.
The digital ID initiative aims to provide Filipinos with a more efficient and easily accessible identification method. Secretary Uy explained that while the production of physical printed IDs is ongoing, the government will simultaneously introduce digital IDs, emphasizing their quicker deployment.
The PSA will play a crucial role in ensuring that the data provided for digital IDs is accurate and secure. Uy said his agency had so far processed approximately 80 million identities stored in its database. Digital IDs will not only enhance the efficiency of government services but also contribute to combating fraud and bolstering security.
Furthermore, the digital IDs could play a role in social programs, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) social amelioration package and the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) fuel subsidy program. By integrating digital IDs into these programs, the government aims to streamline processes and improve the delivery of benefits to citizens.
‘Our objective is to hopefully give our fellow citizens a nice Christmas gift by deploying the digital ID significantly by the end of the year,” Uy said. ‘Within a few months, we will do our best to launch the digital ID system. The important thing here is that the data provided to us by the PSA is clean.’
Source: Palawan News
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September 14, 2023 – by the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
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