Around 40% of adult Filipinos still cannot open a bank account or a digital wallet, and a big reason is simple: they do not have a valid government ID. To fix exactly that, the Philippine Statistics Authority and GCash have been running a joint drive that has now helped more than 2,000 Filipinos across over 25 barangays get their National ID and open verified e-wallet accounts since July 2025.
How the drive works
The initiative combines PSA Co-location sites with GCash Barangay Outposts, a mobile, on-demand setup that brings National ID registration and e-wallet onboarding straight to underserved communities. Residents can register for a National ID and, in the same visit, open a verified GCash account.
| By the numbers | Detail |
|---|---|
| Filipinos registered | 2,000+ |
| Barangays covered | 25+ |
| Rollout window | Since July 2025 |
| Adult Filipinos unbanked (BSP) | 40% |
| Fuse loans disbursed | ₱362 billion |
| Unique Fuse borrowers | 10.5 million |
| BSP digital-payments target by 2028 | 60-70% |
Why the National ID is the missing link
Lack of documents, including IDs, is a leading reason Filipinos stay out of the formal financial system. A Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas study cited by GCash found that 40% of adult Filipinos remain unbanked because of that barrier.
That gap matters more every year as digital payments now account for over half of all retail transactions in the country. The BSP wants to push that share to 60-70% by 2028, and the National ID is central to getting more people into the digital economy.
Real people, real impact
The drive is not just statistics. Danielle, 19, paused her studies to work as a street vendor and could not open a formal account without an ID. With her new National ID, she can now use GCash, including loans to grow her business.
Alma, a housewife from Bulacan, plans to use the GCash Pera Outlet Plus app to offer cash-in, bills payment, and Send Money in her neighborhood. Construction worker Eldie and laundrywoman Mutya now send money to family without traveling to a physical store.
Behind the scenes, GCash’s lending arm Fuse Financing has disbursed ₱362 billion in loans to 10.5 million borrowers as of the end of 2025.
What it means for you
If you do not have a National ID yet, the PSA and GCash drive shows how important that single document has become. Once you have one, opening a GCash account unlocks payments, transfers, savings, and loans that were out of reach before.
“We want every Filipino to maximize the opportunities offered by the digital economy, and it all starts with having a valid ID,” said Ren-ren Reyes Jr., president and CEO of G-Xchange Inc., GCash’s mobile wallet operator.
