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Institutions, establishments can’t refuse PhilSys ID: PSA

The Philippine Identification (PhilID) or national ID must be honored in all public and private transactions requiring the confirmation of the identity of the holder.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stressed this anew after continuous reports that some private companies and government agencies refuse to recognize the PhilID.

“Your Philsys national identification card is valid and can be used for any legal transactions. This is a memo from the Philippine Identification System of the Philippine Statistics Authority that mandates that your PhilSys national ID should be accepted for customer identification and verification in any bank transactions in the Philippines. No institutions or establishments should refuse your PhilSys national ID card or they will be penalized,” the PSA posted on December 13.

PSA has also been issuing repeated reminders to government agencies and private entities to accept the PhilID in transactions or they will be penalized by as much as PHP500,000 under the PhilSys Act.

PhilSys-registered Jebon Ontua, a resident here, is confident she will be able to use the PhilID in all her transactions.

“I registered for the national ID because according to the government, it is a valid ID and I can use it for many transactions. I already completed Steps 1 and 2. I will just wait for the arrival of my PhilID card,” Ontua said in the vernacular in an interview.

She will apply for a passport once her PhilID card arrives.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier confirmed it is honoring the national ID in passport applications.

PhilSys registration resumed here on Saturday after a two-day suspension on December 16 and 17 due to Typhoon Odette.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. 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 the opening of bank accounts.

It also seeks to boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government agencies where people will only need to present one ID during transactions.

Source: Philippines News Agency