The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Central Visayas has cited manual identity checks, failed print quality inspections and an expired printing contract as the reasons many registrants still have not received their physical National ID cards.
Johndel Christofer Dunting, registration officer III of PSA-7 and the regional focal person for the National ID system, discussed the delays in an interview with Cebu Daily News (CDN Digital). He said a delayed card does not necessarily mean a registration failed.
According to the report, every application passes through several layers of verification before a card is printed and delivered.
Verification and quality checks
The PSA first checks each application to make sure the National ID registry contains no duplicate entries. Dunting said this is done manually, case by case, particularly when the system detects possible duplicate identities or inconsistent records.
Some cases are resolved within weeks, while more complicated records take longer because of the volume of registrations nationwide.
Printed cards can also be held back. Dunting said some cards failed final quality checks and were reprinted before delivery, which lengthens the wait for applications that were already approved. Other registrants missed earlier delivery batches before printing was temporarily stopped.
Printing contract
Dunting said the PSA’s contract with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which had produced the physical cards, has expired. The agency has started looking for a new service provider to resume large-scale printing. Pending cards will still be delivered once printing resumes, and applicants will not pay for delivery, he said.
A later Cebu Daily News report on the PSA’s warning about PVC-printed digital IDs repeated that the agency has started looking for a new provider. The interview as published did not give a date for the resumption of printing, and no announcement of resumed printing was found in the sources reviewed for this article.
Digital ID and ePhilID
For registrants still waiting, the PSA points to the digital National ID on the eGov PH app. Users can install the app on an Android or iOS device and create a verified account, after which the digital ID appears automatically. The PSA said the digital ID has the same validity and functions as the physical card.
The agency also continues to issue the paper-based ePhilID, mainly for registrants without smartphones, Internet access or familiarity with digital platforms. Applicants can request it at authorized registration centers in Cebu and nationwide.
“The ePhilID and digital ID are not temporary IDs,” Dunting said, in the English translation of his Cebuano remarks provided by CDN Digital.
Fake IDs and scams
The PSA Central Visayas also warned the public about fake National IDs and scams aimed at people waiting for their cards. Under Republic Act No. 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, only the PSA may print and issue National IDs. Producing, selling, possessing or using fake National IDs is punishable by three to six years in prison and fines of P1 million to P3 million.
The agency said scammers posing as PSA personnel have asked registrants to click suspicious links, download applications, disable phone security settings, or share one-time passwords, fingerprints and National ID numbers. Others offer “expedited processing” for a fee.
The PSA said all National ID services, including updates, corrections and ePhilID issuance, are handled only at authorized registration centers. Establishments can verify IDs through the National ID Check platform.
