MANILA - The implementation of the national ID system is "on track" as registration of the entire population is expected to be completed by mid-2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the national ID system into law in August 2018.

The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) will provide a "valid proof of identity" for all Filipinos and residents, making access to services simpler and faster by eliminating the need to provide other forms of identifications, the PSA said.

“We are on track to have the system fully operational and to start the mass registration by mid-2020, and complete the enrollment of the population by mid-2022,” National Statistician and Civil Registrar undersecretary Dennis Mapa said.

Pilot test registration in the National Capital Region, which includes select health services beneficiaries and several government employees, started on Sept. 2, the PSA said.

• Gov’t to test national ID system starting September

Pilot tests will run from September 2019 to June 2020. Once the system is stable, operations will expand to cover select groups in Region III, and IV-A, it said.

By May 2020, the PSA said it would extend pilot registration process to test end-to-end system involving generation of unique PhilSys Numbers (PSN) and card printing and issuance, among others.

Registration will be open to the public by July 2020, the agency said.

The national ID system will boost social protection and financial inclusion with DSWD, PhilHealth, SSS, GSIS and BSP identified as "priority use cases," the PSA said.

Under the law, the national ID shall contain a person’s Philippine Identification System number, full name, gender, blood type, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, address, and a front facing photo.