Philippines Authorities Warn Against Digital ID Printing

Authorities in the Philippines are warning against the practice of printing out physical copies of the state’s digital IDs. While the new Digital National ID and ePhilID systems are considered equivalent to the conventional polyvinyl chloride cards, an official with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) emphasized to media that the digital IDs cannot simply be printed out, and that doing so can lead to significant fines and even prison time under Republic Act No. 11055, also known as the Philippine Identification System Act.

The Digital National ID, launched in June, is an official digital version of the physical National ID card. It can be accessed online through computers or smartphones and obtained via a dedicated website or mobile app. It requires face-based biometric verification for identity confirmation and serves as a valid proof of identification for various transactions.

The digital ID is available to over 87 million Filipinos registered in the National ID system.

The ePhilID, on the other hand, is a printable or downloadable PDF version of the National ID. It can be obtained through a specific online portal and requires verification through a one-time password sent to the user’s registered mobile number. Like its digital counterpart, the ePhilID has the same functionality and validity as the physical National ID card.

To support these digital IDs, the Philippine government has also launched authentication services. These include the National ID eVerify for facial recognition-based authentication and the National ID Check for QR code scanning to verify the authenticity of any National ID format.

The initiatives are part of the country’s broader efforts towards digital transformation, aiming to improve service delivery and ease of doing business in the Philippines.

Source: The Freeman

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September 11, 2024 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team