MANILA—The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Monday urged residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) to immediately access their Digital National ID, citing survey results showing that the vast majority of the region’s population owns a smartphone.

Based on the 2024 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS), about 90.6 percent of individuals in NCR aged 10 and above are smartphone owners. The survey tracks household and individual access to and use of information and communications technology (ICT) to guide policy and monitor ICT development goals.

“With many smartphone owners in NCR, more Filipinos can easily and conveniently access valid and sufficient proof of identity such as the Digital National ID,” said PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa, PhD, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General.

He added, “To all our registered persons who have a smartphone, your Digital National ID is ready to be accessed. We encourage everyone to seize the opportunity to have a valid proof of identity on their smartphones, which they can access anytime for any transaction.”

The Digital National ID, available via the eGovPH app, is free and easy to obtain. Users simply download the app, create an account, and access the ID, which includes a live selfie.

The ID is accepted for civil registry documents such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, and can be used in processing late birth registrations. It is also recognized by GCash and Asia United Bank’s HelloMoney app for account verification, enabling full use of financial services.

As part of promotional initiatives, free rides on Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) were offered every Wednesday of August—from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM—to National ID holders, including the Digital National ID. On 06 August 2025, 25,173 National ID holders availed of free rides on the MRT-3.