PhilSys ID: overpromise, underdeliver

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has overhyped its drive to entice people to register for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) ID. The campaign initially included, among others, the promise that said the national ID, which is for free and delivered to one’s home address, was planned to replace the other government-issued IDs. Subsequently, I gathered that said ID will not necessarily replace other government- issued IDs.

Instead of looking forward to lessening the number of ID cards that I have (about 15 IDs), I will now have a total of 16 ID cards, including the PhilSys ID. Truly, the reputation that Filipinos (like me) allegedly are the “most IDed” people in the world will remain a fact.

Just recently, PSA has finally admitted that they were behind target in the issuance of the digital version (not the card type) of the national ID, known as the ePhilID.

It has been more than a year since my wife and I applied for the said ID, which we have not yet received to date.

Upon checking at a mall, where PSA has a registration/follow-up counter, a PhilSys staff validated that our IDs are not yet available, to date.

However, the same staff member further mentioned that some IDs are now available “online” but need to be printed on ordinary paper. Ironically, said paper ID still needs to be laminated elsewhere for an extra cost. Good grief!

Aforesaid experience involving a government agency (PSA-PhilSys) once again typifies a scenario of “overpromising and underdelivering.”

Emiliano M. Manahan Jr.,

advocate and author