MANILA – All local government units (LGUs) and private establishments have been ordered by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to use and accept the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card as a single official government-issued identification card for all types of transactions within the country.
In a memorandum, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año instructed all LGUs to accept the PhilID card as enough proof of identity, without requiring the public to provide any other identification documents.
“Ipinapaunawa po natin sa lahat ng tanggapan ng gobyerno at mga pribadong establisimento, huwag na po kayong maghanap pa ng iba pang ID dahil ang PhilID lamang ay sapat na,” Año said in a statement on Sunday.
According to Año, the use of the PhilID will make transactions in all government offices and private establishments easier.
“Malaking tulong sa pagpapabilis ng mga proseso ang ating PhilID dahil dati dalawa o higit pang ID ang kailangan para mapatunayan ang iyong pagkakakilanlan,” Año said.
“Ngayon, iisang ID na lang ang dala-dala mo at puwede na ito sa kahit anong transaksiyon na mangangailangan ng ID,” he added.
Año explained that the PhilID carries information about a registered person including a photo, full name, date of birth, address, sex, marital status, and date of birth to establish identity.
It also comes with a PhilSys Card Number (PCN), diffractive optically variable image device, a QR code, and a PSN Microprint for security purposes.
Refusal to accept, acknowledge, or recognize the PhilID or PhilSys Number (PSN) without just cause shall merit a P500,000 fine, according to DILG spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
Meanwhile, government officials and employees who will refuse to recognize the PhilID card will be permanently barred from holding public office or government employment.(©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
