MANILA, Philippines – All Filipinos living in the country can start registering for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) by July 2020, while overseas Filipinos can start by 2021.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) kicked off on Monday, September 2, the pilot testing for the national ID program.

The first set of Filipinos entered into the system were from the National Capital Region. These are select beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and employees of the PSA and the National Economic and Development Authority. (READ: National ID law: Here’s the law, plus a quick summary)

The pilot test registration will run from September 2019 until June 2021.

“We are on track to have the system fully operational and to start the mass registration by mid-2020, and complete the enrollment of the population by mid-2022,” National Statistician Dennis Mapa said.

The first part of the pilot involves biometric and demographic capturing processes. Once the system is stable, operations will expand to cover select groups from nearby regions like Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

The pilot will also involve thoroughly going through the data to ensure there will be no duplication, generation of unique PhilSys Numbers, and card printing and issuance.

Registration will be scaled up and will be open to the public by July 2020. Overseas Filipinos are targeted to be registered starting 2021.

“The PSA sees the utmost importance for the PhilSys to first undergo a series of pilot testings before finally launching it to the public. We want to ensure that the processes are efficient, the systems are fully functional, and all information within the system are secure,” Mapa said.

Amid security concerns regarding PhilSys, Mapa said the PSA is working to ensure the security and integrity of the personal data of all 107 million Filipinos.

“Given that the PhilSys is a highly technical and complex program, we are pushing with multiple pilot testing to continuously improve the system and level up its security features before launching it to the public,” he said.

PhilSys aims to provide a valid proof of identity for all Filipinos and resident aliens, making government and private sector services faster and more efficient. – Rappler.com