Gov't releases 200,000 national IDs; 35 million Pinoys finish Step 1

MANILA - The Philippine government has released 200,000 national ID cards to Filipino citizens with another 200,000 cards ready for delivery, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Monday. 

Deputy National Statistician Rosalinda Bautista said a total of 35 million Filipinos have completed Step 1 of the registration process, which is done through house-to-house collection and through the PSA's PhilSys website.

Twelve million Filipinos have completed Step 2 or the collection of biometric information, she added. Step 3 is the delivery of the physical ID card and unique PhilSys number (PSN).

Bautista said Filipinos should not pick up their national IDs at the post office "because our contract states that it should be house to house delivery."

She added citizens who get their national IDs should not post photos of the IDs on social media. 

"You should not expose your PhilSys number and control number, which is unique for every cardholder," she said. 

She also warned against individuals who offer to facilitate registration to the national ID system for a fee. "Libre po ang national ID," she said. 

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua earlier said the national ID could broaden access to financial services as well as hasten social aid distribution.