Philippines pilots back-to-back birth and national ID registration for newborns

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has piloted back-to-back birth and National ID registration.

The pilot strategy means the PSA is able to register newborns to the National ID system at the same time as their birth registration. A total of 29 newborns were successfully provided birth and national ID registration and were issued ePhilIDs.

“This initiative marks a milestone in our pursuit of inclusive development by combining birth registration and National ID registration at the onset of a child’s life reinforce the PSA’s dedication to ensuring that every child has the right to a legal identity and access to opportunities, laying the groundwork for a society that truly leaves no one behind,” said PSA undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa.

The initiative is in line with the country’s commitment to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Mapa added, and is expected to be rolled out nationwide following evaluation of the pilot, which took place at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

A newborn’s PhilSys number is linked to the parent or guardian present during registration, while only the demographic information and front-facing photo of the newborn is captured. Once the infant reaches five years old, complete biometric information – such as fingerprints, iris, and a new front-facing photograph – is collected.

Increasing digital ID acceptance

As the Philippines rolls out digital national ID, a growing number of financial institutions are accepting it as valid proof of identity in transactions. These include Asia United Bank (AUB) and its e-wallet service HelloMoney, which accepts digital national ID for bank account opening and loan application. It is also the first domestic bank to fully integrate with the National ID eVerify, using the system’s authentication service for identity verification.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and its app VYBE accepts digital national ID for digital account opening and verification. Mobile wallet service GCash is another that enables account opening and verification using digital national ID.

Meanwhile, HID and partner FMC Research Solutions Inc. have won Best New Digital Card 2024 Award for the Philippines mobile national ID. The industry accolade recognized the creation of the first ISO-compliant digital government platform in Asia, delivering convenient access to government services for Philippines citizens residing at home or overseas.

HID’s goID software development kit (SDK) was integrated into the Philippine’s eGOVPH mobile application to enable interoperability via ISO standardization. With ISO compliance, mobile national IDs issued through eGovPH are internationally usable.

“Winning the HSP Asia Award for our work with the Philippine government is an honor,” said Craig Sandness, senior VP and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions at HID.

Article Topics

birth registration  |  digital ID  |  HID  |  legal identity  |  national ID  |  PhilID  |  Philippines  |  Philippines Statistics Authority  |  SDG 16.9