PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) –The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) views the spread of misinformation about the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) online as a challenge in saturating the population of locals in Palawan.
As of August 2024, PSA recorded 1,041,388 Palawenos registered in PhilSys, or 80.67 percent of the province’s total population of 1,290,712 based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing.
Ariel Magallanes, PhilSys focal in Palawan, said that PSA strengthens the conduct of information dissemination in barangays and schools to address the misinformation among the locals.
“Isa sa nakikita natin na challenge, yong iba ay hesitant pa rin na mag-register dahil sa negative impact na naririnig nila at maling information na nababasa nila sa social media,” he said.
Out of the registered individuals, around 69 percent of the total registered individuals or 719,610 have already received their ePhil IDs.
Aside from boosting mobile registration in indigenous communities, PSA recently launched its Rehistro Bulilit Campaign for one to four years old. Only the demographic information and front-facing photograph of the child will be collected, PSA said.
“Focus natin sa registration ay below five years old since nag-start lang nitong mga nakaraang buwan. Sila ‘yong target natin marehistro sa National ID. Medyo malaki rin ang percentage non sa kabuuang population natin,” Magallanes said.
Around 230,552 PhilSys IDs have arrived in Palawan and 182,203 have already been delivered by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost). However, 29,350 cards were returned by PHLPost to PSA after three unsuccessful delivery attempts.
About 77.35 percent of those returned IDs or 22,703 were delivered by PSA, while 6,647 PhilSys IDs left for delivery. The combined delivery made by PHLPost and PSA resulted in a total of 204,906 cards sent to locals in Palawan.
The registered individuals may also update their demographic information at PhilSys registration centers. The lost transaction slip containing the transaction reference number can also be retrieved through a request and process of verification by registration personnel.
The PhilSys registration, contained under Republic Act 11055 or the Philippine Identification System and signed in August 2018, provides valid proof of identity to all citizens and resident aliens in the country. It aims to simplify the private and public transactions. (RG/PIA MIMAROPA-Palawan)
Photo courtesy of PSA Palawan
