The Philippine Statistics Authority has distributed more than 55 million physical national ID cards nationwide, a PSA official disclosed before a Senate panel Tuesday, as lawmakers pressed the agency on its slow rollout of the card-based format.
Ma. Fides Marquez, Project Development Officer V of the PSA’s Social Protection Use Case Division, placed the figure in context by noting that other formats remain in circulation alongside the physical cards. As of March 15, 2026, nearly 49.5 million paper-format IDs had been issued, while digital national IDs ready for access had reached 90,488,679.
“Mr. Chair, meron na po tayong 55 million na delivered na cards,” Marquez told the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development.
“Pero meron din naman po tayong option po yung format na doon po sa ating paper format, national ID and paper at saka po yung digital national ID. So doon po sa paper format na na-issue, meron na po tayong 49,475,605 as of March 15 (2026) at saka yung digital national ID naman po na ready for access ay nasa 90,488,679,” she added.
Committee chair Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who convened the hearing to examine the national ID program’s progress, raised concerns about continued reliance on paper IDs rather than the more durable card format. Marquez acknowledged that printing issues had previously hampered card production, but gave assurances that every registered Filipino would eventually receive a physical card.
“Previously, sir, I think we’ve mentioned that there has been an issue with the printing of the cards. But we assure po that everyone will receive their physical cards,” she said, adding that the agency intends to deliver an initial 12 million cards within the year.
The scale of the task ahead was put into sharper relief by separate testimony from PSA Senior Statistical Specialist Ramil Toledo, who cited 2024 census data placing the Philippine population at 112,727,776 — a figure that excludes Filipinos registered at embassies, consulates, and overseas missions.
