Parents in the province of Ilocos Norte can now enlist their children aged five and up for the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday.

Marilyn Vergara, PSA Ilocos Norte chief statistical specialist, said parents and guardians can now bring their children to Robinsons Place Ilocos in San Nicolas town for enlistment or to the PSA office from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Parents or guardians must bring the child’s original birth certificate, which may also be presented by adults who do not have other valid IDs, for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) registration,” she said.

Due to movement restrictions caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the PSA initially established online registration at https://register.philsys.gov.ph for Step 1, which involves the gathering of demographic information like name, gender, birth date, birthplace, age, permanent and current address, blood type, citizenship, and marital status.

After completing Step 1, registrants shall book an appointment for the Step 2 biometrics phase. Iris scan, fingerprints, and front-facing photographs will be recorded at registration centers.

The Philippine Postal Corporation will deliver the national ID cards and the entire process is free of charge.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and opening of bank accounts.

It also aims to boost government efficiency in providing social services where people will only need to present one ID during transactions.

The latest government data shows that more than 32 million Filipinos had already completed the Step 2 biometrics registration while at least 1.9 million national ID cards have been delivered. (PNA)