Iloilo: The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported that approximately 90 percent of the total population in the city and province of Iloilo is now registered with the national identification (ID) system. This milestone marks significant progress in the effort to provide residents with a unique identification number, which is expected to streamline access to government services and benefits.
According to Philippines News Agency, Iloilo Supervising Statistical Specialist Jerry Dolutan revealed in an interview that as of February 28, a total of 2,292,751 residents in Iloilo have been registered, based on the 2024 Census of Population. Despite this achievement, Dolutan estimated that around 260,000 residents remain unregistered.
In the first quarter of the year, the PSA successfully registered 2,620 senior citizens and 1,574 children aged zero to four. The agency has collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to facilitate the registration process during payouts for beneficiaries of programs such as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), senior citizens, and the Walang Gutom Program. DSWD's records indicate that approximately 30,000 4Ps beneficiaries and senior citizens have yet to register, although this number is expected to decrease as registration efforts continue.
Dolutan also highlighted the PSA's coordination with local government units (LGUs) to conduct mobile registration, ensuring that even bedridden individuals can be registered. "For our deployment, we ensure that we have teams in every congressional district. We coordinate their schedules with the help of our LGUs," he explained.
In terms of ID distribution, more than 1.7 million national ID cards have been delivered, and the PSA has issued 863,183 IDs in paper form. Additionally, 17,574 electronic IDs were printed in the first quarter of the year.
The PSA is promoting the use of digital IDs through the eGovPH application. Dolutan mentioned that individuals aged 12 and above can download the application if they are registered with the national ID. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the information provided during registration and when downloading the application is consistent to maintain accuracy.
