Filipinos registered under the National ID system can now open a LandBank account without presenting a physical ID card. The bank confirmed that the option uses facial biometric authentication connected to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s National ID Authentication Services (NIDAS).
The system checks a customer’s identity in real time by comparing a live facial scan against PSA records, removing the need to show a physical National ID during account opening.
Customers can complete the process through the LandBank Mobile Banking App (MBA) by selecting “Open an Account,” choosing their preferred account type, and entering the required information. After creating a user profile, applicants complete a video selfie or face scan for identity verification. Once the system verifies the applicant, they finish the remaining steps and submit the application.
The same service is also available in person at 616 LandBank branches nationwide, where staff can assist customers with the facial biometric verification step.
LandBank did not specify which account types are covered under the ID-free process or whether additional documents are still required for certain account tiers.
The rollout adds to a growing list of Philippine financial institutions integrating with the PSA’s NIDAS platform, which allows banks and other service providers to verify a customer’s identity electronically instead of relying solely on physical identification documents. The National ID system, formally called the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), has registered millions of Filipinos since its rollout began, and government agencies have increasingly pushed private institutions to adopt the digital ID as a standard verification method.
For Filipinos who have not yet received a physical PhilSys ID card despite having completed registration, the facial biometric option may offer an alternative path to opening a bank account, provided their registration is reflected in PSA’s system.
