MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a bill seeking to amend the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act to strengthen data privacy safeguards and prevent identity fraud in the national ID system.

The measure aims to revise Republic Act 11055, which Lacson originally authored and sponsored, to remove the PhilSys Number (PSN) from being visibly printed on the face of the ID card. Instead, the PSN will be securely encoded within the card’s QR code, along with the holder’s biometric information.

“This proposed measure seeks to amend the PhilSys Act to eliminate any visible or printed representation of the PSN on the card, including microprinted forms. Instead, the PSN will be securely encoded along with biometric information within the card’s QR code,” Lacson said.

“By doing this, access to the PSN will be strictly limited to authorized parties, who must follow regulated authentication procedures in compliance with current privacy laws and data protection standards,” he added.

Lacson cited security risks posed by the current setup, where the PSN is visible alongside personal details such as the cardholder’s full name, sex, blood type, photo, and place and date of birth. He warned that this exposes individuals to identity theft, fraud, and potential profiling.

He pointed to a 2024 incident when the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) warned the public against individuals offering cash in exchange for photos of national ID cards—highlighting vulnerabilities in the system and the risk of misuse of the visible PSN.

Lacson also emphasized that the proposed amendment provides an opportunity for the PSA and relevant agencies to purge unauthorized registrants, particularly those who may have fraudulently entered the system.

“Many if not most of the unauthorized registrants are Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) personnel who may have managed to register through fraudulent means,” he said.

Lacson expressed hope that the amendment would help restore the integrity of the national ID system and align it with global standards for data privacy and protection.