The Philippines Statistics Authority, more commonly known as the PSA, announced that there’s a circulating post about the PhilSys registration.
In case you’re not aware, the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) is set to be released any time soon.
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PSA’s message to the public is to be wary of the revolving PhilSys sign up scam. The scam’s goal is to lure people into paying a certain amount to be registered for the National ID.
What is the PhilSys Sign Up Scam?
With a lot of people rooting to register for the National ID, scammers are taking this as an opportunity for them to carry out their operations.
The scam goes like this:
- Scammers will pose as an employee of the PSA
- They’ll say that they’ll expedite the facilitation of the Philippine Identification Card or the PhilID
- Because they’ll do it in advance, they’ll ask for a fee for it
NOTE: This unlawful and quite out of the normal processing procedure is illegal.
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The scam has been said to have originated from Calvin Processings. Furthermore, it’s also part of a Facebook group with the name: Philippine National ID (News & Information).
What Will Happen to Scammers?
If ever you encounter a scammer, don’t fret.
According to the Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11055, also known as the Philippine Identification System Act, scammers will face penalties with fines that range from P1 million pesos to P3 million pesos.
Important Information About the National ID
According to the PSA, the National ID is FREE for all Filipinos.
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This immediately paints the picture of how Calvin Processings is a scam.
In addition to that, the PSA made announcements about the fact that they’ll be prioritizing households and families with low-income, with the following reasons:
- So that they can open their bank accounts easily, the medium of how they can receive the benefits from the government; and
- To avoid any scams, corruption, and wrongdoings that could possibly occur
Furthermore, the PSA also said that transacting with their official personnel is the priority.
The complete procedure in getting a National ID involves three (3) steps:
- Pre-Registration
- Registration
- Issuance of the Philippine or the National ID
Pre-Registration Process
Under the pre-registration process, field officers of the PSA would operate by spreading from one house to another.
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This step involves the collection of demographic information of low-income household heads from a total of 32 identified provinces and around 664 cities.
Provinces that they’ll visit include:
- Davao Del Norte
- Tawi-Tawi
- Davao Occidental
- Davao Del Sur
- Compostela Valley
- Negros Oriental
- Negros Occidental
- Leyte
- Bohol
- Cebu
- Capiz
- Iloilo
- Capiz
- Antique
- Masbate
- Camarines Sur
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Quezon
- Rizal
- Batangas
- Cavite
- Albay
- La Union
- Cagayan
- Isabela
- Bulacan
- Pampanga
- Zambales
- Bataan
- Nueva Ecija
- Ilocos Sur
- Tarlac
Registration Process
The registration process would involve primary and supporting document validation.
In addition to that, this phase also includes the capturing of the biometric information of applicants including iris scans, fingerprints, and front-facing photographs.
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This will be done in registration centers.
National ID Issuance
Lastly, the issuing of the national ID will take place. To briefly discuss, the national ID will have a 12-digit PhilSys number, also known as a PSN as well as a PhilSys card number (PCN).
Requirements for the Philippine National ID
Applicants need the following documentary requirements in order for them to be able to register and apply for the Philippine National ID:
One (1) original copy of any of the following:
- Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID)
- PSA-issued birth certificate of live birth with ONE (1) government-issued identification document bearing the full name, front-facing photograph, and signature or thumb mark
- Valid LTO-issued student’s permit and/or non-professional or professional driver’s license
- Valid Philippine passport issued by the DFA
In addition to that, there also are documentary requirements. You can find this at the back of the PhilSys Registration Form.
Does the National ID have an expiry date?
Yes, the Philippine National ID is only valid for up to one (1) year from the date of its issuance.
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The PhilSys sign up scam is one of the newest and the most updated scams.
Because of the pandemic, a lot of scammers are trying their ways to take advantage of this situation.
Mind the information we’ve told you in this post! You’ll automatically be safe from it as long as you know what the page is, who you’re dealing with, and if the page is asking you for a price for the registration.
Don’t fall into the traps of scammers! Always be cautious with what you’re dealing with especially online!
Source/s: The Philippine News Agency | PSA Website