The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC) has cleared a P2.48-billion project to upgrade the Philippines’ National ID System, moving the proposed digital infrastructure partnership toward procurement later this year.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the Philippine Digital National Identity (PDNI) Project was approved during the ICC-CC’s Sept. 9 meeting, allowing the unsolicited public-private partnership (PPP) proposal to proceed to the comparative challenge stage.
Under the process, the government will invite other potential proponents to match or improve on the original proposal, with the procurement targeted for completion by the fourth quarter.
The project covers the upgrading, operation, and maintenance of the National ID System, including registration, card production, authentication services, technical onboarding of private-sector relying parties, and operation of key information and communications technology infrastructure.
For users, the PSA expects the investment to make National ID registration more accessible and authentication services more streamlined, potentially broadening the system’s usefulness in accessing government and private-sector services.
PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the partnership would allow government to tap private-sector expertise and resources while keeping the National ID’s public-service purpose intact.
The project will be implemented under a build-transfer-operate arrangement, with a 20-year concession following a six-month transition period.
Unisys Public Sector Services Corp. is the original proponent of the unsolicited PPP.
The ICC-CC, chaired by the Department of Finance and co-chaired by the Department of Planning, Economy, and Development, is responsible for reviewing major government investment proposals.
The project’s next key test will be the comparative challenge, where competing proposals could affect the eventual terms, technology, and cost of the National ID’s digital infrastructure.
That process gives the government an opportunity to test the original proposal against alternatives before awarding the long-term concession.
