About 32.45 percent or 1,875,008 of the 5,778,473 residents of Western Visayas have received their Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards while ongoing deliveries are carried out for 126,167 more cards as of August 15.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that 18,667 IDs were delivered in Aklan; 162,149 in Antique; 242,299 in Capiz; 7,237 in Guimaras; 668,692 in Iloilo; and 775,964 in Negros Occidental.
PSA-Iloilo officer in charge Jerry Dolutan said Tuesday the bottleneck is at Step 3 of the registration or the deduplication phase.
“In the deduplication, we verify the biometric information and check if there is (a) duplicate or a similar registration to ensure that each ID is unique,” Dolutan said in an interview.
If there are tags, then they have to verify the data manually, he added.
After the deduplication phase, the ID goes into printing by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas while delivery is being handled by the Philippine Postal Corp.
Dolutan said based on the information they received, the IDs being delivered are for registrations made in August and September 2021.
In Iloilo province and city, registration continues and is being fast-tracked.
The PSA has registered 1,889,329 individuals or 83.56 percent of the 2,279,730 projected population, based on the 2015 Census of Population and Housing.
It conducts mobile registration in villages and sitios (hamlets) to reach the target population, especially persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and children.
“We bring the registration (to) their doorstep,” Dolutan said.
Registration teams are likewise stationed at SM City, Robinsons main and Jaro branch, City Mall in Tagbak and Parola, and at the Festive Mall.
A fixed registration site can be found at the back of The Midtown Hotel at the City Proper.
“Our registration center in malls is open from Monday to Sunday. Our operation is seven days, during mall hours. The fixed registration center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday,” Dolutan added.
There is also a registration desk at the departure area of the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town for those waiting for their flights.
Signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in August 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 the opening of bank accounts. (PNA)
