PHLPost launches new postal ID, upgrades express mail service

SPEED DELIVERY. The Philippine Postal Corporation launches the postal ID and express mail service next-day delivery within the National Capital Region at the Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio on Tuesday (Nov. 5, 2024). Postmaster General and Philippine Postal Corporation chief executive officer Luis Carlos and chair Stephen Cruz (4th and 6th from left) lead the event that is part of the 257th anniversary of the PHLPost. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) on Tuesday launched the postal ID as functional card and the upgraded express mail service (EMS).

PHLPost Postmaster General and chief executive officer Luis Carlos said the new ID provides address verification for customers.

“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 said during a media conference at the Manila Central Post Office in Manila City.

The PHLPost has at least 150 partner merchants nationwide in the past years providing discounts and freebies to postal ID holders, Carlos said.

The PHLPost is expecting additional merchants to partner with them, he said.

“About the financial functionality, we are really looking at that one, to really to answer the Bangko Sentral’s issue of the unbanked,” he added.

Citing that about half of the country’s population do not have bank accounts, Carlos said, they are studying how the postal ID can function as a digital bank which would be beneficial to people in far-flung areas.

The functional postal ID carries the owner’s name, address, birthdate and signature. It also includes the alphaneumeric zip code composed of two letters and six letters representing the owners province, municipality or city and barangay.

A quick response (QR) code is printed on the ID for the verification of its authenticity.

The PHLPost also enhanced its EMS with the next-day delivery function in Metro Manila, strengthening its competitive position in the logistics industry,

Earlier, the PHLPost said Metro Manila accounts for a substantial portion of its delivery volume.

It aims to ensure cost efficiency, reduce manual handling and provide real-time tracking, to be managed by the Quezon City Central Post Office Hub, Central Mail Exchange Center, Makati Central Post Office Hub, and Manila Central Post Office.