Nat’l digital ID to deploy by year-end — DICT chief
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy holds a press briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) on 13 September 2023. (Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office)
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to deploy a national digital ID by the end of the year, in parallel with the issuance of physical IDs by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In a Malacañang Press Briefing on Wednesday, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said the digital ID will be a mobile-based identity system that can be used for a variety of online transactions, including government services, financial services, and e-commerce.
"The digital ID will be a leapfrog technology that will allow us to improve the efficiency and security of our online transactions," Uy said. "It will also help us to reduce fraud and abuse in government programs."
The digital ID will be based on the data that the PSA has already collected for the national ID system. Uy said the DICT is working with the PSA to ensure that the data is clean and accurate.
"We want to make sure that the digital ID is a secure and reliable way to verify a person's identity," Uy said.
The DICT is targeting to deploy the digital ID to 10 million Filipinos by the end of the year. Uy said the government will provide free access to the digital ID for all Filipinos.
"The digital ID is a critical infrastructure for our digital economy," Uy said. "We want to make sure that everyone has access to it," he added.
The deployment of the national digital ID is part of the government's efforts to improve the efficiency and security of its services. The government is also working to develop a national blockchain platform that will be used to store and manage government data.
The national digital ID is a major step forward for the Philippines in its digital transformation journey. The ID will make it easier for Filipinos to access government services, conduct financial transactions, and shop online. It will also help to reduce fraud and abuse in government programs.
The DICT is committed to deploying the national digital ID by the end of the year. The agency is working closely with the PSA to ensure that the data is clean and accurate and that the ID is secure and reliable.