Be warned! Printing your own National ID or by unauthorized entities can lead to imprisonment and fine.
Want to get a passport or National ID? Do it the right way and wait until the government releases your brand-new ID. If you try to get around it, a staggering penalty will go your way.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) warned against the illegal printing of the digital Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) card or the National ID on plastic cards. Only PSA is authorized to print and issue such IDs, which means including you isn’t allowed.
“The PSA informs the public and relying parties that the printing of the Digital National ID in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or plastic cards is strictly prohibited,” the local statistics office said in a statement.
Anyone found guilty will be imprisoned for up to six years and be fined up to PHP 3 million. If you can’t wait to get your physical card, digital versions are available and they work just like physical cards. No government or private entity can ignore the digital versions.
As of writing, the total registrations for the National ID is 89.7 million. Of those, 55 million have been printed and issued, leaving the PSA with a 34.7-million backlog.
