Having a valid government-issued ID is a must wherever you maybe in the world, including in the Philippines. Not only is it used as a way tolegally identify yourself, but it’s also a requirement in importanttransactions and other legal obligations.
However, it can be difficult to get your first valid ID, as theprocess often requires a lot of paperwork and can be expensive.
One alternative ID that is popular in the Philippines is thePostal ID.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the entire process ofacquiring a Philippine Postal ID from start to finish!
What is the Philippine PostalID?
The Postal ID, also officially called the PhilPost ID, is an IDissued by the Philippine Postal Corporation.
It’s a legal primary identification that you can use to verifypostal transactions, open bank accounts, and serve as a general identificationcard for various purposes.
It’s one of the easiest legal government IDs that you can get inthe country and is considered by many to be the gateway to other legalidentifications. This is due to one simple reason: unlike othergovernment-issued IDs, the requirements to get a Philippine Postal ID arerelatively easy to attain. Because of this, even students, unemployedindividuals, and expats can get a postal ID.
Before we discuss the Postal ID in more detail, let’s firstlearn about its issuing body, the Philippine Postal Corporation.
Introducing PhilPost
The Philippine Postal Corporation, also known as PhilPost, isthe national postal service of the government. It has a long history, datingback to250 years agowhen the country was still occupiedby Spain.
The first office was established in Manila and managed aManila-wide postal system as well as international transactions.
Today, the Philippine Postal Corporation now spans at least1,355 post officesin the country andemploys some 8000+ individuals to run it. It also offers a wide variety ofpostal services, such as the following.
· Letter Post.These are letters andparcels weighing no more than two kilos. These types of mail can be M-bags ofsmall packers, and cabs classified by the PhilPost as an ordinary, priority,and registered depending on the preference of the customer.
· Express Post. One of the most popularmailing services, the express post is the Postal Office’s expedited mailservices. This mails customers’ letters and parcels in the least possible time.
· Parcel Post.Lets customers mailvarious goods and non-perishable food to any domestic or internationallocation. Parcels can be classified as air parcels, surface parcels, or insuredparcels.
· Corporate Direct Mail.Lets businessesadvertise by sending brochures, books, pamphlets, etc., to various locations.
· Collect-on-Delivery Service.Letsrecipients pay for a bought item upon receipt.
More than that, PhilPost also offers other, lesser-knownservices, such as fax mail, address check, corporate proof of delivery,international reply, and more.
As you can see, PhilPost provides a variety of cost-effectiveand efficient services that Filipinos can take advantage of depending on theirneeds.
The PhilPost ID
The Postal ID is the Philippine Postal Corporation’s primarydocument for identification.
After all, it’s in the best interest of the country’s officialmailing agency to ensure that the sender and the recipient of the parcels arewho they say they are.
The best way to provide that reassurance is through the presenceof an official and easily-accessible identification system.
The PhilPost ID is a secure government identification that themailing agency can use to identify individuals. It has special securityfeatures that ensure its integrity, such as the following.
· On-sitecapture of digital biological signatures capture (fingerprint, photo,signature).
· Centralizeddatabase system and ID printing process to ensure authenticity.
· EncryptedQR code for easy ID verification.
· Physicalsecurity features (ghost image, UV ink, hologram).
· Automateduniqueness check using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System or AFIS.
Aside from the benefit of legitimate identification, there arealso other concrete benefits that a PhilPost ID holder can enjoy, which we willdiscuss further in the article.
How to Apply for a Postal ID
The Postal ID is a useful, versatile piece of identification.However, before you can enjoy these benefits, you would need to have a PostalID first.
In this section, we’ll guide you through the requirements andprocess of acquiring a PhilPost ID.
Who Can Apply for a PostalID?
As mentioned above, the Philippine Postal ID is one of theeasiest government identification cards to acquire, making it very popular asthe first ID for students and young professionals.
Anyone can apply for a postal ID, regardless of age oroccupation. As long as you have the requirements for its processing, you canget this ID from Philpost.
Even non-Filipino citizens can acquire a Postal ID if they’vebeen staying in the country for six months.
Filipinos who are living abroad are also eligible to apply, aslong as they are staying within the country during the time of application.
What Are the Requirements forApplying?
There are only several documentary requirements that you have toprepare to get a Postal ID.
Different categories of people have different requirements thatthey need to prepare, and in this section, we’re going to discuss what thoserequirements are for each category.
For Regular FilipinoResidents
· Twocopies of the fully filled-out PhilPost ID application form.
· Proofof identity, which could be any of these primary documents:
· NSObirth certificate or local civil registry certificate
· SSS orGSIS Card
· Passport
· SSS
Alternatively, those who can’t provide any of thepreviously-mentioned documents can also choose to submit two secondarydocuments. You can view the full list of acceptable secondary documents on thePhilPost ID website, but here are the mostcommon ones.
· Schoolor university ID
· CompanyID
· PhilHealthID
· Pag-IBIGID
· NBIClearance
· PoliceClearance
· TIN ID
· Proofof Address:
· Barangaycertificate of residency that was issued within the last three (3) months
· Certifiedtrue copy of lease
· Certifiedtrue copy of land titles released by the LRA
· Bankstatements
· Creditcard statements
· Utilitybills
For Foreign ResidentsResiding Within the PH for More Than 6 Months
· Two(2) copies of the fully filled-out PhilPost ID application form
· Proofof identity, which includes the following:
· Passport,valid for at least six months before ID application
· Anyone of the following supporting documents
· ACRICard, or Alien Certificate of Registration Identity
· LSVVE,or Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension
· TRV,or temporary resident visa, etc.
· Proofof Address, which can be any of these:
· Barangaycertificate of residency issued in the last three (3) months
· Statementof account or certification from the hotel or temporary residence issued withinthree months before the application
· Bankstatements
· Creditcard statements
· Utilitybills
What Are the Steps in Gettinga PhilPost ID?
You only need to do three things to apply for a PhilPost ID:submit an application, capture your information, and wait for your ID to bedelivered.
Let’s go through these three steps one by one.
Step 1: Submitting YourApplication
The very first significant step that you will have to accomplishwhen getting a PhilPost ID is to submit your application form along with all ofthe requirements necessary. To do this, follow this rough guide.
1. Prepareyour proof of identity and proof of address. If you’re not using a primarygovernment-issued identification, such as a passport or a driver’s license, youmust submit two secondary forms of proof of identity. This includes your birthcertificate, a TIN ID, police clearance, and barangay clearance.
2. Next,go to your nearest Post Office and get two copies of a PhilPost ID applicationform, and accomplish all the necessary fields.
Note that you can do this step right alongside, or even before,preparing your other documents. However, make sure that your copy of theapplication form is updated.
You will first have to go to a Post Office to get an up-to-datecopy of the application form, and if you don’t have your complete requirements,you’re just going to double your trip. You candownload the applicationform from theirwebsite, but make sure it’s up to date and like what your Office uses.
3. Onceyou have your duly-filled application forms and other requirements, simplyapproach the booth/counter to take ID application requests and submit yourrequirements.
Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to move to the next step.
Step 2: Personal Data Capture
It only takes a few minutes for the PhilPost staff to confirm yourrequirements as valid. After they’re done with the confirmation, you’ll bedirected to the ID data capture booth.
Personal biometric information such as fingerprints and facepictures are gathered at this stage, along with your signature. These will appearon your ID as additional security features to prevent fraud.
Step 3: Wait For Your PostalID.
Once everything is done in the data capture booth, all you haveto do is wait for your ID. The postal ID has a centralized manufacturingprocess, so your application will be routed to the central office IDmanufacturing, where it will make its way to you.
Depending on your place of residence, there are differentestimated waiting times for your PhilPost ID.
· 10 to 15 working days.Forapplications within Metro Manila, you’ll have to wait approximately this longfor your ID to arrive.
· 4 to 5 weeks.For remote barangays andisland provinces, your ID will take a little longer to arrive.
Once your ID arrives, you can now use it for whatever purposeyou have in mind.
Do I Have to Pay to Get aPostal ID?
The PhilPost ID is one of the most accessible IDs to get, evenif you’re still unemployed, a student, or a foreign national. However, it’s notfree.
You will have to pay several fees to get a postal ID. In thissection, we’re going to list down as much as we can to give you an idea of howmuch you need to prepare to get this ID.
· Postal ID application fee.Theapplication fee costs 504 PHP for everything, including delivery and VAT.
· Rush application fee.You can alsochoose to expedite your ID, in which case it will cost a bit extra at 650 PHP.
· Secondary documents processing fee. Morethan the fees you have to pay for having the ID made, you will also need to payfor processing the secondary documents needed for identification and residence.These certifications range from 50 to 100 PHP, but will not exceed 150 PHPeach.
Benefits of Having aPhilippine Postal ID
Now, you know everything you need to know to get your Postal IDin the most convenient way possible. But is it worth all the hassle? Just whatexactly is the PhilPost ID used for anyway?
In the following sections, we will list the advantages of havinga Philippine Postal ID.
Can Be Used as a Valid ID
One of the main benefits that applicants are seeking in thePhilPost ID is that it’s an easily-accessible means of primary identificationfrom the government.
Other primary identification, such as passports and driver’slicense, are far more difficult to attain and requires a long wait. Thus, itmakes sense that people flock to getting a Postal ID because it’s an incrediblyconvenient way to get a valid ID.
With valid identification from the government, users can usethis ID to do a wide variety of important and official things, such as thefollowing.
· Openinga bank account
· Openinga trading account
· Openinggovernment services accounts (example, Phil Health, SSS/GSIS, etc.)
· Verifyingyour identity for digital wallets
· Openingand verifying identities on shopping platforms and more
Proof of Identity forPackages
One of the primary reasons the PhilPost has an identificationsystem is to ensure that people are who they say they are when sending andaccepting parcels or mail.
With the new PhilPost ID, there are fewer chances of somebodycommitting identity fraud. The card has plenty of security features, such as aspecial ink that glows when shined with ultraviolet light, ghost images,holographic effects when viewed from different angles, and more.
Not only is it useful for the PhilPost agency, but it’s alsocritical for the entire government system to have a reliable yet easilyaccessible means of ensuring one’s identity.
Postal ID Privilege Program
Another benefit you can gain from getting a postal ID is thePostal ID Privilege Program.
This benefits program is designed for use by Postal ID cardholders. It functions like a typical discount card – owning a Postal ID willentitle you to discounts when you buy or use a service from an allied merchant.
Dozens of participating merchants will grant you a discountprivilege if you present your Postal ID upon checkout within the followingindustries.
· Foodand beverage
· Beauty,health, and wellness
· Homeand living
· Traveland leisure
· Fitnessand recreation
· Petroleumand fuel
· Pharmaceuticals
· Clothing
· Computerand photo services
Various stores accept your Postal ID as a means to getdiscounts. Stores like restaurants, spas, clinics, eye doctors, boutiques, andmore will be glad to receive more business from you.
The Ultimate Guide to GettingYour Postal ID in the Philippines
If you want a reliable and accessible valid governmentidentification in the Philippines, you can’t do any better than getting aPhilPost ID. Also called the postal ID, this identification is easy to applyfor, easy to process, and doesn’t have steep fees.
This article discusses everything you need to know about gettinga postal ID in the Philippines, from start to finish. Now, you should be wellprepared to get this handy piece of identification!
FAQ
What are the requirements forgetting postal ID Philippines?
There are only three requirements to get a postal ID in thePhilippines. Your postal ID application, proof of identity, and proof ofresidency. There are multiple types of proof you can present, so be sure tocheck this guide for what’s acceptable and not.
How much is the Postal ID inthe Philippines?
The regular fee for having a Postal ID made in the country is504 PHP. However, you can also expedite the process and have your ID deliveredto you sooner, although you will have to pay a corresponding fee of 650 PHP.
What is the easiest valid IDto get?
The Postal ID is the easiest valid ID to acquire in the country.It only has three documentary requirements, three steps to process, and a smallfee. You now have a valid government identification you can use, plus all ofthe privilege that comes with the Postal ID Privilege Program.
Is Postal ID a valid ID PH?
A Postal ID is considered avalid ID in the Philippines. It’s widely accepted to be a legitimateidentification by organizations such as banks, other government agencies, andfinancial platforms such as GCash. Some don’t recognize its validity as primaryidentification but do accept it as a secondary ID.
