Quezon City opens registration for unified ID system

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Quezon City government has started the online registration for a unified ID system that will allow residents to access social services provided by the city.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the unified QCitizen ID system would provide the city with a database that is necessary to ensure that all residents receive support from the local government.

“Through this ID system, we can be sure that we are spreading out the services to the people and it is not monopolized by only a handful,” Belmonte said. “When we have an ID card, we will easily be able to access the different services of the city.”

Belmonte cited the problems encountered by local officials during the distribution of the special amelioration program last year.

With a complete database of residents, she said distribution of assistance in the future would be faster and would ensure coverage of qualified beneficiaries.

Belmonte said the unified ID system would also help in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.

According to the city government, the plan is to register all residents under the unified QCitizen ID system, with each receiving a QCitizen ID number and digital ID.

Residents 15 years old and above will also be given a free physical ID card.

City administrator Mike Alimurung said the unified ID system is envisioned to replace all existing IDs issued by the city government such as those for senior citizens, solo parents and persons with disabilities.

Pending the full rollout of the new system, the city government said the existing IDs would remain valid.

“The QCitizen ID will enable us to provide better services to citizens and allocate resources more efficiently,” Alimurung said. “It will also be used to determine the priority list for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.”

Online registration for the QCitizen ID may be done through the E-Services portal of the city government.

Those eligible to sign up are residents who have government-issued IDs or barangay certificates.

“A resident cannot use a single QC E-Services account to register for multiple QCitizen IDs. A family member cannot use their own account to register parents or other relatives. They all have to register separately,” Alimurung said.

The digital version of the ID can be accessed through the QCitizen app, which is available on Google Playstore and Apple App Store.

For those without internet access, the city will conduct an in-person, on-the-ground registration drive in barangays in the coming weeks.

Belmonte said the on-the-ground registration would be piloted in Barangay Central on Jan. 15.

“The registration will give importance to those who are on the priority list for the COVID-19 vaccine – senior citizens, PWDs and frontliners,” she said.