‘Don’t post PhilID cards online’: PSA

MANILA – Filipinos are cautioned against exposure of their physical Philippine identification (PhilID) cards or national IDs online.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the lead implementing agency for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) project, advised individuals to refrain from posting any of their PhilID information.

PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista warned the PhilID holders not to post their physical cards in any social media outlets “so fraudsters will not be tempted to fake it.”

“Alam mo iyong iba masyado silang excited kapag natanggap nila iyong kanilang PhilID, so pinipiktyuran nila, pinu-post nila. Please lang po huwag po ninyong gawin iyan, ang ating ID is something na dapat tinatago at hindi po ini-expose (Those who were very excited when they received their PhilIDs tend to capture it and post it online. Please don’t do that, our ID is something that should be kept and not be exposed),” Bautista warned the public during an online interview on Wednesday.

Bautista also said penalties are in place for those who will attempt to reproduce the PhilID cards.

She said the PhilSys Registry Office’s Fraud Management Division will make sure that those who will be caught faking the PhilID cards will face criminal charges.

“We look into at magpa-file ng mga kaso para doon sa madi-discover namin… na mayroon kaming basehan na ito ay mga pekeng ID na pinresent nila (We look into and file cases to those who will be caught. We have basis to know that the presented IDs are fake),” she said.

The PSA earlier warned the public to be vigilant against scammers posing as employees who unlawfully processing and facilitate PhilSys registration with corresponding charges.

Bautista reminded the public that the registration under PhilSys remains free of charge.

Filipinos who wish to avail themselves of PhilID cards are urged to sign up through PhilSys online portal: https://register.philsys.gov.ph/.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo 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, enrolment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present the PhilID during transactions.