The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Negros Oriental aims to register about 100,000 children aged 1 to 4 years for the national identification program despite field challenges, an official said Tuesday.
Ariel Fortuito, PSA-Negros Oriental chief statistical specialist, said nearly 16,000 children have been enrolled in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) since registration for age group began in September.
“It is a big challenge to locate these children since they are not yet in school, but we have adopted strategies to fast-track the process,” Fortuito said.
The strategies include working with daycare centers and village officials to help reach the children and their families.
Fortuito said there is no set timeline for completing the registration due to additional challenges, such as children’s short attention spans and difficulties capturing their biometrics.
Parents must be registered with PhilSys before their children can be enrolled.
As of Oct. 19, a total of 1,268,269 or 88.78 percent of Negros Oriental’s 1.4 million population have been enrolled in the national ID system. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
