The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and GCash are bringing National ID registration and digital financial services closer to communities, seeking to remove a key barrier keeping millions of Filipinos outside the formal financial system.
Through the co-location of PSA registration services with GCash Barangay Outposts, residents can register for their National IDs and open verified e-wallet accounts in the same community-based setting.
The mobile, on-demand initiative has so far served more than 2,000 Filipinos across over 25 barangays nationwide.
The partnership addresses a persistent financial inclusion gap. About 40 percent of adult Filipinos remain unbanked, partly because they lack required documents, including identification, according to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas study.
“Dito mas maraming magre-register [para sa ID] kasi mas marami ang gustong mag-apply sa services ng GCash tulad sa e-wallet,” PSA registration officer Ronnie Mallillin said, noting that access to financial services could encourage more Filipinos to obtain IDs.
The co-location links identification, often the first hurdle to opening formal financial accounts, with immediate access to digital payments and other services.
Once verified, users can access GCash services for payments and money transfers, while qualified customers may also gain access to credit products.
GCash lending arm Fuse Financing Inc. had disbursed P362 billion in loans to 10.5 million unique borrowers as of end-2025, highlighting the potential reach of digital financial services once more Filipinos enter the formal system.
“We want every Filipino to maximize the opportunities offered by the digital economy, and it all starts with having a valid ID,” G-Xchange Inc. President and CEO Ren-ren Reyes Jr. said.
The initiative comes as digital payments account for more than half of Philippine retail transactions. The BSP is targeting a 60- to 70-percent share by 2028.
By putting ID registration and digital finance in the same community setting, the partners aim to make formal financial services easier to access for Filipinos who remain outside the banking system.
