Applicants submitting false info to PhilSys face jail time

MANILA – Fraud charges may be filed when false information and fake documents are submitted to the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

In its advisory on Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Section 19 of Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, states that imprisonment of three years to six years and a fine of PHP1 million to PHP3 million await individuals who will be found guilty of submitting false information during the application, renewal or updating of PhilSys information.

Crimes include the unlawful use of the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card or PhilSys Number (PSN) to commit a fraudulent act or for other unlawful purposes; willful submission of fictitious name or false information in the application, renewal or updating; unauthorized printing, preparation, or issuance of a PhilID; willful falsification, mutilation, alteration or tampering of the PhilID; use of the PhilID/PSN or unauthorized possession of a PhilID without any reasonable excuse by any person other than the one to whom it was issued; possession of a fake, falsified or altered PhilID; and willful transfer of the PhilID or the PSN to another person.

The PhilSys registration can be accessed through https://register.philsys.gov.ph for free.

As of September, more than 34 million Filipinos have completed the registration process.

The national ID will be delivered door-to-door by the Philippine Postal Corp.

The entire process is free of charge.

PhilSys also enlisted the services of celebrity couple Matteo Guidicelli and Sarah Geronimo to help entice registration for the national ID.

The Guidicellis were introduced as PhilSys ambassadors on October 25 and sang the official jingle tited “#IDNatin ‘to”.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, the PhilSys 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 will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present the PhilID during transactions.