The Tale of Getting Valid IDs in the Philippines

I’ve been feeling sad lately so I needed to write a blog (Lol!). But today's blog is totally different from the previous ones I posted. Recently, I have realized that as a working adult for three years now, the only valid IDs I have are just PhilHealth Card and Company ID. It is not new to everyone that we are currently under a worldwide health crisis and we are all heavily affected by its impact here in the Philippines. If you get what I mean, realizing that I don’t have enough valid IDs with me, definitely, getting other valid IDs would probably be much more difficult than it was before the pandemic. 

Valid IDs are very important when dealing with both government and private transactions (e.g., proof of identity, bank transactions, sending and receiving a mail or package). Valid IDs in the Philippines are classified into two: (1) Primary Valid IDs and (2) the Secondary Valid IDs. The first ones are classified as primary identifications because they come in PVC Cards and/or issued by one the most powerful agencies in the country. While the latter, they are regarded as secondary because they serve as a supplementary identification that are often supported by either one primary ID or other documents that certify your identity and your citizenship. 

In this blog, I won’t be able to tackle much about the requirements and procedures needed to get all the valid IDs here in the Philippines. BUT! I will share to you my experience in getting my IDs that might be helpful to newly graduates. One of the popular sarcastic expressions of many Filipinos regarding their experience in getting a valid ID in the country is that, you need a valid ID in order to get one. Sounds weird but it’s ironically a fact. If that’s the case, how do you get yours? Some begin with getting a Barangay/Police/NBI Clearance (take note that all of them has expirations), PSA Birth Certificate, and many more. Among all, I think these are the easiest ones to acquire because they don’t usually require a supplementary proof of identity.

PhilHealth Card

 

When I graduated in 2019 and heard about the importance of Valid IDs, I asked myself, which one should I get first? Well, at that time, I immediately requested for a Birth Certificate and an NBI Clearance. But, heading to the next ID I planned on getting–a PhilHealth Card–I did not know that I would not need the mentioned proofs of identity since it is so easy to get the card. I went to the nearest PhilHealth Branch (I also brought two 1x1 photos) and filled up two registration forms. The agent encoded it in their system and afterwards, they issued me my Member Data Record and the one I was really excited about–my PhilHealth Card. I even posted it on my social media account because I just felt like I was indeed an adult already for I got a single valid ID then. You will also pay for your very first contribution (if I remember it right) which amount varies. Please do take note that this is free and that its validity lasts a lifetime. Now that I got my very first ID as an adult, what do you think was the second one I got?

 

Employee ID

        Yup! After five months of waiting to get my first job, the second valid ID I got was my Employee ID. Sadly, for a country like us where unemployment is high, not everyone gets the chance to have an Employee ID. Take note that not all Employee IDs are regarded as a valid ID. Sometimes when you use them in several transactions like in banks, the company that issued you your Employee ID must be regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and only then they will honour it as a valid ID along with some supplementary IDs. I thought getting my second valid ID would be less exciting but I was wrong because it reminded me of so many adventures that await ahead of me. 

                                                              

	Postal ID                     Among all the valid IDs in the Philippines, Postal ID is one of the easiest to get. To get yours, you can search for the downloadable application form online and fill it out. Next, you will need to present a photocopy of your Birth Certificate as a Proof of Identity (if you don’t have a UMID Card issued by the SSS and/or GSIS, Driver’s License, and Philippine Passport). The last one you will need to prepare is a single Proof of Address and a payment that costs around 500.00. In my case, I brought a Barangay Clearance, but a bank statement and utility bill will also do. I just want to add as well that if ever an applicant does not have a Birth Certificate, she/he may present any of the following (this is not a complete list but you may visit the webpage of PhilPost for a much more complete one): 1.   A TIN Card (issued by the BIR) 2. A Philhealth Card (issued by the PhilHealth) 3.   A College/Post-Graduate Transcript of Records and/or Elementary/High School Form 137 (issued by your school) 4.    A photo-bearing School ID (make sure that it has the signature of the school head or principal) 5.     An NBI or Police Clearance         Actually, this is the second Valid ID a newly graduate can ideally get (after a PhilHealth Card if she/he does not have any valid ID with her/him). As you can see, the application is so easy that you only need a completed Registration/Application Form along with a single Proof of Identity and Proof of Address like the ones mentioned above. By the time I graduated, I was not able to get one for me as soon as I could because I lost my interest when I found out that it only lasts for 6 months. But, PhilPost has improved its Postal ID. From its design (it is now printed on a PVC and has a hologram, a QR code, and a barcode at the back), discounts from its partner merchants, and of course the longer validity that lasts for three years. Be reminded that Postal IDs are not being issued on the day you applied for it. Usually, you can claim it after five to seven working days but in the case of some other branches, it takes a month before the applicant acquires it. But don’t worry, they have rush services that charges you a little extra fee. Philippine Passport         One of the most valid proof of identity and proof of citizenship in the country is, of course, the Philippine Passport. This one is also the easiest to get among all the valid IDs in the Philippine. All Filipinos are eligible to acquire this. There are several core requirements that an applicant must provide such as the following:                 1. Walk in applicants are not allowed. They are encouraged to secure an online appointment here: https://www.passport.gov.ph    2. After securing an online appointment, they will notify you via email that contains reminders and attachments such as the application form and your e-receipt. Be sure to arrive at your chosen office on the day of your appointment.    3. Applicants must also present an original and photocopy of their Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Authenticated Birth Certificate on Security Paper. According to DFA, married females who are using spouse's surname should present their original PSA Marriage Certificate and a photocopy of it. Report of Marriage may also do. Be reminded as well that in case your PSA Birth Certificate is not clear, Local Civil Registry Copy is required.     4. Lastly, applicants must also bring any of the following IDs with one photocopy of it that the DFA accepts. You can check here the IDs they honor for a Passport application: https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/list-of-acceptable-ids-passport     Be reminded that getting a passport costs 950.00 to 1,250.00. For more information about Philippine Passport Application, you may visit their webpage. TIN Card         I am starting to lose my interest going on with this blog because of my memories of applying for a TIN Card. Bear with me because I had a really, really terrible experience getting this one. So okay, let me tell you a story. The pandemic blew big time in 2020. Most of us, if not all, were just staying indoors. It was also in the same year when I thought of getting a TIN Card since it is regarded as a secondary valid ID. The first sad fact about my case is that I am an employee of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos. And what has that to do with my first struggle getting this ID? Our RDO (take note, you cannot just visit any branch of BIR to get a TIN Card. You need to know first which branch you are registered in) is located in Calamba, Laguna which leaves me no choice but endure a 1-1.5-hours commute in a pandemic situation. Out of excitement to acquire another valid ID, I still braved the risk of commuting just to get there (not to mention that it takes two rides to reach it). I fell in line and when it was my turn, they told me that I could not get a TIN Card because my middle name was incorrectly spelled in their system. This means, I would have to undergo a correction process of my registered name in their RDO first before I could move on to the issuance of my TIN card. Out of the abrupt loss of excitement that I had with me in the beginning, I forgot about it for a time.         Fast forward to December 2021, that was when I remembered that I needed to have my registered name corrected through my employer and so I submitted the requirements to our HR and waited until the correction was already successful. In 10 January 2022, I went back to the said RDO and with me were my requirements for a TIN Card application–a photocopy of my PSA Birth Certificate and two valid IDs (here we go now with the in order to get a valid ID, you need another valid ID but this time, not just one but two), and a completed BIR Form 1905 that is downloadable online. If you don’t have the means to print it at the convenience of your home, do not fret because it is available in every RDO. Going back to the story, when I went back, I was informed by the very guard who told me to come on the very day I went that tH3 p3rs0nNeL iN-cH4rG3 f0r TIN Cards w4s 0N 4 w0Rk fR0m h0M3 ScH3mE. I was raging inside but I kept my cool and decided to come back the next day.          When I returned the following day, the line was so long that it took me several hours to get a number just so I could get inside their branch. Eventually, I was able to reach the counter where TIN Cards were being processed and issued. I got to talk to the person in-charge. Another problem arose again. The personnel thought that I was a JO (or Job Order which basically means being a contractual employee) that would require me additional requirements. She asked me to return to their branch once I have completed BIR Forms 1901 and 0605 and a certified true copy of my contract. I was almost there. Almost. But as Ariana and Nathan say, almost is never enough. I left the RDO and went straight to our school to get the additional requirements just so I could be issued a TIN Card. To the surprise of our HR office, they wondered why I was being asked to fill out both BIR Forms 1901 and 0605 when in fact I already have an existing Tax Identification Number. They were also puzzled when they learned that the RDO was asking for my Contract of Service when I am but a regular employee of our school. That was when I freaking realized that there was a misunderstanding that arose in the situation. I was irritated big time. I went home disappointed.         But the story did not end there. Since I was very disappointed and desperate to have a TIN Card, I talked to some Fixers online and asked if they could help me regrading my concern. I tried to study their system. To cut it short, I was deceived that the cards they issue are legit because of their reasons that they have this so-called “encoders” who work in BIR that enable them to provide assistance regarding BIR matters to people who need it and do not have the time to visit RDOs. It was my first time dealing with this kind of assistance. With the very idea of me believing them so much, I availed a card from them right away. The next day, I got my card through their help and paid them a certain amount. I WAS REALLY HAPPY. But, my curiosity kept tapping me. It made me investigate even more. I tried to look for people I know who has an original Green TIN Card that has a QR code compared to the old Yellow TIN Card that doesn’t have one on it. I got to find one and asked him if he could scan the QR code of his card so we could know what really  appears from it. He told me that specific details show up whenever he scans the code. I was really shocked because the QR in my card redirects me to the web page of BIR when scanned that was totally different to his. I also got to talk to people I am close with who have a fake TIN Card as well. Their QR redirects them to their phone’s notes and a text that reads “Bureau of Internal Revenue” appears. I know. I messed up really, really bad.         I had no choice. I really had to continue the pending procedure I had with our RDO. I came back in 09 February 2022 and I clarified to them that I am a regular employee and that I do not need the additional requirements they asked me to bring to their office. They were enlightened and just after 15 minutes, they issued me my TIN Card. Finally, a legit one! BUT, BUT, BUT! The story did not end there. Hahaha! When I arrived home with a smile on my face, it suddenly switched to a shocked one when I noticed that my middle name was incorrectly spelled on the TIN card. I thought it was just a typo that got me really, really mad. I contacted the RDO and found out that it was not a typo. It means, that my registered name in their system was really registered incorrectly from the beginning. I suddenly remembered the requirements I submitted to our HR office to have it corrected for me. I found out that they were not able to process it as soon as they could when in fact, it has been a month since I tapped them to fix it. I had no choice but to return AGAIN the next day in our RDO. I did undergo the correction procedure of my name myself, surrendered my newly issued-card, and finally I was issued a newer and a detail-precise one. Hahaha! What a terrible experience right?         So as someone who experienced such a horrible experience due to lack of knowledge, I have realized that I don’t want this to happen to anybody and so here are my two cents: (1) Make sure to have your TIN Verified first even your basic information registered at your RDO; (2) Clarify to the RDO the nature of your employment whether you are a regular employee or not to avoid the same scenario I experienced; and (3) Never, ever trust a fixer to have your TIN Card issued by them (especially now that the BIR has redesigned its TIN Card that is not easy to fake anymore compared to the old one they used to issue to the tax payers). Though sometimes, there are fixers who can offer a legit assistance, you have to carefully and thoroughly investigate first so you’ll know which is which. That is the very reason why government agencies do not encourage the public availing their services (sorry because I sure fell for it). Should this be three cents instead of two? Lels. Corny! Final Thoughts...         To sum it up, yes! Getting a valid ID in our country is indeed difficult. From the unclear requirements and procedures, up to the long lines you need to patiently brave and endure, it is definitely a head scratcher. But it is all worth it as these IDs open a bunch of opportunities for you such as travelling, availing a bank service, freebies to a number of merchants and the like. Still, whether it is absolutely tiring to acquire them or not, you are left with no choice but to get them.         Should you, guys have any question, reaction, and recommendation, feel free to leave it down below the comment section. You may also add up some important information to make this blog more discourseful and helpful. ‘Til my next blog!