DICT rolls out rider IDs

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology rolled out digital IDs for delivery riders yesterday, a move meant to curb fraud, protect consumers and finally give legitimate couriers the recognition they’ve long lacked.

The agency launched Phase 2 of its Private Express and Messengerial Delivery Service (PEMEDES) Licensing Portal at the DICT Central Office in Quezon City, introducing the Messenger Work License (MWL) Virtual ID. It is the agency’s biggest step yet toward professionalizing a workforce that has ballooned alongside the country’s e-commerce boom.

“Every delivery matters. Every rider deserves recognition,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda. “Through the PEMEDES Licensing portal, we are making delivery services more professional, more accountable and more secure for everyone.”

Built by the DICT Management Information Systems Service, the portal lets riders and operators register online, submit requirements, verify their identity and secure a digital ID. It taps the Philippine Statistics Authority’s e-Verify system for National ID integration and facial recognition. Automated document processing, AI-assisted data extraction and QR-enabled IDs handle the rest, clearing the way for real-time approval once requirements are complete.

The launch drew the industry’s heavy hitters – Go21, Foodpanda, LBC Express, Angkas Padala, Flash Express, JoyRide, PH Global Jet Express, PureRide, Fastrust, Exmer and STO Express, among others.

For riders, the payoff is simple: official recognition, a verified identity and a faster path to compliance. Operators get a reliable way to check credentials. Consumers get the assurance that the person at their door is who they claim to be.

Undersecretary Faye Condez-de Sagon, who supervises the Postal Regulation Division, said the program was built for more than paperwork. “We designed the MWL not just to simplify compliance, but to raise the bar – for accountability, professionalism, and the kind of trust that keeps the whole delivery ecosystem secure,” she said.

The rollout caps a steady push to formalize the sector. Earlier this year, DICT endorsed a consolidated list of qualified messenger-riders for a fuel subsidy program and facilitated cash relief for more than 100,000 delivery riders. With couriers earning roughly P17,000 a month on average, the stakes are real.

The portal is live at register.pemedes.gov.ph.