Philippines Advances National ID Upgrade

The Philippines has cleared a proposed USD 39.5 million public–private partnership to upgrade the infrastructure and services behind its National ID system. The Investment Coordination Committee – Cabinet Committee approved the Philippine Digital National Identity (PDNI) project on 9 September, according to an announcement issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on 21 September [1].

The approval moves the proposal into a comparative challenge, during which other companies can submit proposals that match or improve the original offer from Unisys Public Sector Services Corporation. No contract has yet been awarded. The challenge is expected to run into the fourth quarter of 2026.

The project covers registration, production of physical National ID cards, authentication services and the operation of core information and communications technology infrastructure. It also includes the technical integration of private-sector organisations that use the system to verify identities. The proposed arrangement has a six-month transition period followed by a 20-year build–transfer–operate concession.