Institutionalizing the Acceptance of the Philippine Identification or Philippine Identification System Number as Sufficient Proof of Identity and Age in All Government and Private Transactions

February 14, 2022

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 162

INSTITUTIONALIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PHILIPPINE IDENTIFICATION OR PHILIPPINE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM NUMBER AS SUFFICIENT PROOF OF IDENTITY AND AGE IN ALL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE TRANSACTIONS

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) No. 11055 or the "Philippine Identification System Act," established the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) as the single national identification system for citizens and resident aliens of the country, to promote seamless delivery of services, improve efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public social services, as well as enhance administrative governance, reduce corruption, curtail bureaucratic red-tape, and avert fraudulent transactions;

WHEREAS, the PhilSys was established to provide citizens and resident aliens with sufficient proof of identity to simplify public and private transactions by eliminating the need to present other forms of identification when transacting with the government and the private sector;

WHEREAS, Sections 7 and 12 of RA No. 11055 provides that the PhilSys Number (PSN), in print, electronic or any other form, subject to authentication, shall be honored and accepted as sufficient proof of identity for transacting business with any government agency or private sector entity, notwithstanding the absence or non-presentation of a Philippine Identification (PhilID);

WHEREAS, Section 13, in relation to Section 7, of RA No. 11055 provides that the PhilID shall serve as the official government-issued identification document for dealing with all national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), as well as private sector entities, and shall be honored and accepted, subject to authentication, in all transactions requiring proof or verification of a citizen's or a resident alien's identity, including, but not limited to applications for eligibility and access to social welfare and benefits by the government, applications for passports and drivers' licenses, tax-related transactions, voting registration and identification purposes, and all other government transactions; and

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to institutionalize the acceptance of the PhilID and PSN, as authenticated, as sufficient proof of identity and age in all government and private transactions, to improve efficiency in the delivery of social services, strengthen financial inclusion and promote ease of doing business;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Acceptance of PhilSys Records. — The PhilSys shall be the government's central identification platform for all citizens and resident aliens of the country. In line with the policy under RA No. 11055, an individual's record in the PhilSys shall be considered as sufficient proof of identity and age in all public and private transactions.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. — The terms defined under RA No. 11055 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be applicable for purposes of implementing this Order.

SECTION 3. Acceptance of PhilSys Components in All Government and Private Transactions. — The PhilID shall serve as the official government-issued identification document and official proof of identity of cardholders in dealing with all NGAs, instrumentalities, departments, bureaus, offices, LGUs, GOCCs, GFIs, state universities and colleges, and other chartered institutions (hereafter, "Covered Agencies") and private sector entities. Meanwhile, the PSN or PSN Derivative of an individual, as authenticated through the PhilSys, shall be honored and accepted in transactions with the government and private sector entities, notwithstanding the non-presentation of the PhilID.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the presentation of the PhilID, PSN or PSN Derivative, as authenticated, shall be sufficient proof of identification and of all other personal details stated therein, without need for presentation of other identification documents. In this regard, the PhilID, PSN or PSN Derivative may be presented in lieu of a birth certificate for transactions that require individuals to establish their age, including, but not limited to: (i) applications for marriage license; (ii) applications for student driver's permit or conductor's license with the Land Transportation Office; (iii) enrollment of students in public and private schools or registration for Philippine Educational Placement Test; (iv) applications with the Professional Regulation Commission; and (v) applications relative to voter's registration with the Commission on Elections. Accordingly, no additional proof of identity or age shall be required upon presentation of the PhilID, PSN or PSN derivative, as authenticated.

In accordance with RA No. 11055, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall ensure that cardholders or holders of PSNs will not be prejudiced if authentication cannot be performed through no fault on the part of said persons. Neither does this Order foreclose the recognition and acceptance of other government-issued identification documents in government and private transactions.

SECTION 4. PhilSys Integration in Citizen's Charters and Private Sector Requirements. — Consistent with RA No. 9485, as amended by RA No. 11032 or the "Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018," all Covered Agencies, are directed to amend their respective Citizen's Charters, particularly as regards identification requirements, to integrate the PhilSys Components, and accommodate its features.

Covered Agencies shall inform the public of amendments to identification requirements, which will be made pursuant to this Order. Private sector entities are enjoined to inform the public of policies and guidelines on the use of the PhilID, PSN or PSN Derivative, and of similar changes in their respective identification requirements.

In addition to the provisions of this Order, banks and other financial institutions shall comply with the relevant issuances of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and other government regulatory agencies, and communicate to the public such policies and guidelines on the use of the PhilID, PSN or PSN Derivative.

SECTION 5. Implementing Guidelines. — As may be necessary, the PSA, with the assistance of relevant agencies, shall formulate and issue supplemental guidelines for the effective implementation of this Order.

SECTION 6. Separability. — If any part or provision of this Order is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Repeal. — All orders, rules, regulations and issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 14th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Two.

 

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 118, No. 8, p. 1581 on February 21, 2022.