More than 50,000 individuals here have already completed Step 2 of the ongoing registration for the national identification system, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

PSA-Iloilo Chief Statistical Specialist Nelida Amolar said that as of March 10, they have already registered 54,818 in 12 registration centers.

Step 2 involves the validation of supporting documents and capturing the biometric information such as fingerprints, iris scans, and photographs.

PSA is also conducting trainings for the rollout of registration in the fifth district, which covers the municipalities of Ajuy, Balasan, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, Lemery, San Dionisio, San Rafael, and Sara.

Additional centers will operate beginning March 16 to cover all municipalities.

“For now, nine municipalities are open and we will be adding four more next week until we cover 35 municipalities where the Step 1 pre-registration was conducted,” she said.

The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), in its report on March 1, said 20,133,869 have registered for Step 1.

Amolar said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is already integrating the data of those who registered in February.

By next week, the ID cards will already be delivered to the preferred addresses of the registrants or can be picked up from registration centers.

“The key to receive the ID is to show their confirmation receipt that was given to them after the registration,” she said.

The 12 PhilSys registration centers are in Midtown Hotel, Annex Building; Iloilo Science and Technology University in La Paz district; North Fundidor Gym, Barangay North Fundidor, Molo district, all in Iloilo City; and in the municipalities of Santa Barbara, Oton, Passi City, Leon, Tigbauan, Maasin, Dingle, Pototan, and San Dionisio.

Only those who have rescheduled and were informed through text will be entertained in the registration centers.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that will simplify public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and opening of bank accounts.

It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will need to present just one ID.PNA