The Philippine Statistics Authority will host and operate an Ateneo de Manila University platform that lets local governments and non-government organizations verify National ID holders even when an office has no internet connection.
The eKYC Extension Platform was developed by Ateneo’s Business Insights Laboratory for Development and Technical Resource Lab, with funding from the nonprofit Co-Develop. Ateneo will provide the software, training and technical support, while the PSA takes responsibility for its own installation and day-to-day operation. The institutions aim to complete that management transfer by the end of 2026.
The system separates the initial identity check from the later service transaction. A person obtains a verification code at a connected location, such as a PSA office or village hall, and then presents it at the office providing assistance, including offices without a signal.
The PSA issues the encrypted, time-limited code only after its National ID authentication service confirms the person’s identity. The resulting record carries signed verification information and a photograph in two codes that a verifier can read offline. The verification result is separate from the digital National ID in the eGovPH app and does not replace the physical PhilID card.
Ateneo says the hosted service will spare small organizations from building their own systems or repeating its full approval process. The university’s own connection to National ID authentication involved 13 requirements and took 364 days, including documentation, a third-party security assessment and a notarized agreement.
As of September 25, the PSA had approved 150 organizations to use eVerify, its National ID verification service, including 28 of the country’s 1,634 local government units. Ateneo makes the software available for use, modification and redistribution with attribution to the university.
Some municipalities have established their own connections. Tayabas integrated National ID authentication into its municipal platform to verify residents accessing city services. The Ateneo arrangement instead provides a hosted option for organizations without comparable infrastructure.
The financial sector has also been expanding National ID use, with the central bank proposing direct authentication for supervised institutions. Ateneo says banks, payment providers, lenders and insurers can use the same software in their own implementations, including offline verification at branches and payout centers with unreliable connectivity.
Sources: Ateneo de Manila University
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
