FILE PHOTO from Philippine Identification System
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority in Central Visayas (PSA-7) urged Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) ID holders to report to the agency if some entities do not accept their IDs.
PSA-7 chief administrative officer of Edwina Carriaga told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the agency is urging PhilSys ID (National ID) holders to report the issue to them.
Carriaga reiterated that the PhilSys ID is “a valid ID.”
Carriaga explained that PhilSys IDs don’t include the holder’s signature because transactions are increasingly done electronically and online.
However, this doesn’t make the PhilSys ID invalid.
“Going to electronic nata. We don’t need anymore the signature because atoa nyang verification is based on biometrics,” she said.
She suggested that this could be why people misunderstand the PhilSys ID, as it lacks the holder’s signature.
“Kung kinsa gani to ang mogamit sa ilang National ID unya dili dawaton sa ubang establishments, moreport lang sila (sa PSA), pwede sila mo email, pwede sila mo message sa mga social media (sa PSA) aron atong ma susi kung ngano ug unsay sirkumstansya nga wala gidawat [ang ID],” Carriaga said.
Recently, the PSA-7 Facebook page reminded everyone that the electronic PhilSys ID (ePhilID) is not a temporary ID.
“Your ePhillD is not a temporary ID. It’s your official government-issued identification with the same validity and functionality as the PhillD card,” the PSA-7 said.
They encouraged registrants awaiting their physical IDs to print and laminate their ePhilID in the meantime. /clorenciana
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