₱500k-fine awaits those who do not accept national ID as proof of identity

Agencies that refuse to accept the national ID as sufficient valid proof of identity without just cause are punishable with a fine of ₱500,000, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

This is based on Republic Act (RA) 11055, or the Philsys Act, which provides for penalties, ranging from ₱50,000 up to ₱5 million, for people or entities that commit crimes related to the Philippine Identification (Philid), such as submitting fraudulent identity.

In the past years, reports about establishments not accepting the national ID as valid proof of identity, citing that there should be another valid proof.

However, the law states that the national ID will serve as the official government-issued identification document for national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and all private sector entities.

The PSA also reiterated that the national ID is one of the four primary identification documents and will be sufficient to present as a valid ID.

In case such happens, it asked the public to report these establishments through its Facebook (facebook.com/ Psaphilsysofficial), hotline (1388), or email (info@philsys.gov.ph). The message shall include the name of the establishment and its branch, the date of transaction, and the nature of transaction.

PSA also noted that submitting a fictitious name or false information in the Philippine Identification System (Philsys), from registration to updating, will put the person behind bars for three to six years, and will be fined about ₱1 million to ₱3 million.

Such penalties also apply to unauthorized printing, preparation, or issuance of a Philid; the falsification, mutilation, alteration, or tampering of the ID; and the possession of a fake, falsified, or altered ID.

The law also provides the same penalties for those who use and possess another person’s Philid or PSN without reasonable excuse, or willfully transfer a Philid or PSN to any other person.

Meanwhile, the submission of fictitious names or false information in Philsys, from registration to updating, is punishable with three to six years imprisonment and a fine of ₱1 million to ₱3 million.