The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) already verified over 23,000 beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program using the national ID authentication portal.

In a statement Monday, the PSA said that as of May 1, 2026, a total of 23,162 TUPAD beneficiaries were already successfully authenticated during the pilot rollout of the Citizen Authentication Portal (CAP).

TUPAD provides 10 to 30 days of emergency, community-based employment to informal, displaced, or seasonal workers. Beneficiaries receive wages based on the local minimum wage, insurance coverage and safety gear to perform work such as cleaning, disinfection, or gardening in local communities.

A PSA-developed platform, CAP, meanwhile, verifies the identity of TUPAD beneficiaries through the national ID authentication service, which involves facial verification and fingerprint scanning.

The pilot use of CAP for TUPAD was conducted in 56 areas across various cities within the National Capital Region (NCR).

“CAP plays a vital role in further strengthening and cleaning the beneficiary database. Through precise identity verification, it improves targeting mechanisms, minimizes duplication of records, and helps prevent ineligible or multiple recipients of government benefits. This ensures that assistance is delivered only to the most qualified and deserving beneficiaries, promoting fairness, transparency, and integrity in the distribution of government support,” PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista said.

PSA and DOLE are eyeing to expand their partnership to institutionalize National ID Authentication Services in all TUPAD activities nationwide.

The PSA also recently conducted a capacity-building activity for DOLE personnel, providing them system walk-through with a hands-on activity and guidance on basic troubleshooting and technical support requests.

The National ID Authentication Services have been used to enable more efficient and reliable identity verification for social protection program beneficiaries.

For instance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) authenticates beneficiaries of its programs through the National ID-powered online platform —Basta Beripikado Mabilis ang Serbisyo.

This enables DSWD to verify beneficiary identities using demographic information and a live selfie, ensuring that benefits are granted only to rightful recipients. (PNA)