Manila: The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) on Tuesday introduced a new version of the postal ID which doubles as a functional card, alongside enhancements to its express mail service (EMS). PHLPost Postmaster General and CEO Luis Carlos emphasized that the new ID facilitates address verification for customers during a media conference held at the Manila Central Post Office in Manila City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Carlos highlighted the unique aspect of the new postal ID, stating, “If you notice, a lot of IDs do not confirm the address of a person. That’s the first function of this ID, the KYC (Know Your Customer).” He also noted that PHLPost has established partnerships with at least 150 merchants nationwide, offering discounts and freebies to postal ID holders, and anticipates further collaborations with additional merchants.
In addressing the financial functionality of the postal ID, Carlos mentioned PHLPost’s commitment to addressing the issue of the unbanked, as raised by the Bangk
o Sentral. With nearly half of the Philippine population lacking bank accounts, PHLPost is exploring the potential for the postal ID to serve as a digital banking tool, which could be particularly advantageous for residents in remote areas.
The newly designed postal ID includes essential personal information such as the owner’s name, address, birthdate, and signature. It features an alphanumeric zip code that encodes the owner’s province, municipality or city, and barangay, as well as a quick response (QR) code to verify the ID’s authenticity.
In addition to launching the new postal ID, PHLPost has enhanced its EMS by introducing a next-day delivery option within Metro Manila, thereby strengthening its competitive edge in the logistics sector. Metro Manila currently represents a significant share of PHLPost’s delivery volume. The EMS upgrades aim to optimize cost efficiency, minimize manual handling, and provide real-time tracking capabilities, managed by key postal hubs in Quezon City, Central Mail Exchang
e Center, Makati, and Manila.
