Philippines launches new digital ID authentication service, promotes enrollment drive

The Philippine’s digital identity authority PhilSys has developed authentication services to enable more secure transactions through biometrics and digital ID. Registration efforts by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), meanwhile, with mobile services.

The new PhilSys Check authenticates people through a digital signature embedded in the QR code found on the back of both the PhilID card and the ePhilID.

PhilSys Check operates as a website open to relying parties through computer or mobile device browsers.

Civil Registry System facilities in the Philippines’ National Capital Region have also implemented fingerprint biometric authentication to verify the identity of PhilID and ePhilID holders when they request civil registry documents.

“The wider implementation of these authentication services will bring us closer to realizing the goal of PhilSys — seamless and targeted delivery of service, prevention of fraudulent transactions and misrepresentations, strengthening financial inclusion, and ease of doing business among many others,” says PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, national statistician and civil registrar general.

The PSA is developing further authentication services, but notes that the PhilSys Number and registered biometrics are the basis of establishing identity throughout the system.

A public service announcement from the PSA says that the county is up to 50.3 million PhilIDs registered at the close of 2023, more than 45.6 million of which have been delivered. Issued ePhilIDs have surpassed 44.5 million.

The public notice recounts several personal stories about Filipinos benefitting from the national digital ID and explains that registration entails enrolling fingerprint, iris and face biometrics, the latter to ICAO standards.

There were more than 83 million Filipinos registered for PhilSys as of January 5, 2024.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  digital ID  |  national ID  |  PhilID  |  Philippines  |  Philippines Statistics Authority