Phl's digital national ID to be launched in June, says IT chief

 

Secretary Uy reports on the national digitalization plan

The Philippines is set to launch its first digital national identification card in June, Department of Information Communication and Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy told Filipino community members at the Consulate on Sunday, Mar. 14.

According to Secretary Uy, the digital ID can be generated through the eGovPH mobile app of DICT, and can be used by Filipinos in transacting with government agencies and banks in lieu of the physical card.

But while all Filipinos can already download the eGovPH app, they still need to register with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or at any of its registration centers first to obtain the digital ID.  The list of the https://philsys.gov.ph/registration-center/

TAWAG NA!

Those who had registered with the PSA previously but have yet to pick up their physical ID can now obtain a copy of their digital copy through the app.

Through this app, Uy said one could potentially:

1)          -    Obtain a driver’s license

2)          -    Secure a license from the Professional Registration Commission

3)            -  For overseas Filipino workers, obtain an overseas employment certificate and e-travel

4)            - Secure e-apostille documents from overseas posts, instead of getting documents authenticated

5)              - Integrate one’s medical health records at PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance)

6)             - Report crimes to police within a 3-kilometer radius through the e-report function

7)              - Apply for jobs through the e-jobs matching service

8)              - Make electronic payment of taxes through eGovpay

9)              - Buy medicines remotely, and possibly have them delivered to various places in the Philippines.

PINDUTIN DITO

In all these transactions, one will no longer have to go through the tedious process of filling out forms and submitting government-approved ID cards at each government department because their digital national ID is all they need to prove his or her identity, said Uy.

For example, a user can go to the Social Security System and even without a smart phone, could still obtain services because the government agency can check his or her credentials through the facial recognition feature of the app.

The agency can also verify the person’s identity through the unique and secure QR code that is assigned to each digital national ID.

Various services one can avail of once the app is fully functional

“Ang hirap makipag transact sa gobyerno, napakadaming proseso, red tape, masalimuot,” said Uy. (It’s so hard to transact with government, there are so many processes involved, red tape, it’s very complicated).

He, however, cautioned that the process of integrating all these services could take time, perhaps another year or two.

One of the biggest challenge at the moment, he said, is to harmonize or standardize the data in each government department, such as the way they format dates, “para iisa lang ang data.” (So there is only one set of data).

Uy also said that the live facial recognition system used in the app would make it hard for anyone to use one’s data to transact business on his or her behalf.

“Each time you access your data there is live facial authorization,” he explained. And since there are more than 100 facial recognition points, he said the app can still recognize the user even if he/she had cosmetic or corrective facial surgery.

He added that the app updates one’s facial identification each time that person logs in, so that it will be still be able to recognize him/her despite the changes in appearance through the years.

However, he admitted that cyber criminals are well-organized and hone their tactics regularly, so it is always a challenge for governments, especially those with a tight budget, to be always a step ahead of them.

But he assured his audience that even if an agency’s system is hacked, it would not mean all the other agencies they want to deal with will have the same problem.

“Cyber security is multi-layered in the app itself, and bawat ahensya ay may sariling cyber security,” he said.

In indirect reference to criticism about the recent hacking of several key government agencies like PhilHealth, Uy said his office would often warn various departments about a number of “vulnerabilities” in their system that should be addressed, but they are often ignored.

As a result, he said DICT now conducts surprise scanning of the websites of government agencies on its own, to prevent such hackings.

The last-minute invitation to Uy's talk still drew a lot of Filcom leaders

Earlier, the PSA announced that enrolments for the PhilID have reached 85 million, with 50 million physical ID cards already distributed out of the 54 million printed.

The printing of more cards is ongoing, and the PSA expects that all those who have enrolled for the national ID could get their cards by the end of the year.

All Filipino citizens are reminded that registration for the PhilID is still ongoing in all of the countrys 86 registration centers.

Uy was in Hong Kong to attend the Innovation Expositions in Smart Cities, which he said included three in the Philippines –Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan asked him to take time off to explain how the country’s digitalization would affect Filipinos who are abroad, particularly the OFWs. 

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