In the Philippines, you will need a valid ID for most financial and official transactions, whether it is for a small transaction such as a remittance at your local ‘pera padala’ center or big transactions in the bank. Take note, however, that not all IDs are acceptable – and you will need a valid ID as requirement in applying for a valid ID!

Not all ID cards are created equal. There are primary ID cards or documents that are accepted for most, it not all, transactions. While secondary cards are often not accepted, unless supported by a valid primary ID.

Primary ID Cards

Take note of these primary ID cards:

• Alien Certificate of Registration
• Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Voter’s ID
• Driver’s License issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO)
• Passport
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
• Seaman’s Book (Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book)
• Social Security (SS) card
• Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card

Secondary ID Cards/Documents

The following are secondary ID cards/documents:

• ATM Card with the cardholder’s name
• Bank Account Passbook
• Birth Certificate or Baptismal Certificate of children or its equivalent
• Certificate of Confirmation issued by National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (formerly known as Office of Southern Cultural Community and Office of Northern Cultural Community)
• Certificate of Licensure/Qualification Document from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
• Certificate of Muslim Filipino Tribal Affiliation issued by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
• Company ID Card
• Court Order granting petition for change of name or date of birth
• Credit Card
• Firearm License Card issued by Philippine National Police (PNP)
• Fishworker’s License issued by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
• Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Card/Certificate of Membership
• Health or Medical Card
• Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) Member’s Data Form/Transaction Card
• Homeowners’ Association ID Card
• ID Card issued by associations recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
• ID Card issued by Local Government Units (e.g. Barangay/Municipality/City)
• Life Insurance Policy
• Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate
• National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
• Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Card
• Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) Member’s Data Record/ID Card
• Police Clearance
• Postal ID Card
• PWD (Person with Disability) ID Card
• School ID Card
• Seafarer’s Registration Certificate issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
• Senior Citizen Card
• Student Permit issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO)
• Tax Identification Number (TIN) Card
• Voter’s Identification Card/Affidavit/Certificate of Registration with COMELEC

Take note that most of these IDs have expiration dates. These will only be accepted as valid IDs if these are not expired.

They now belong to the roster of the world’s super rich people but there are many famous celebrities and personalities who once were so poor that they could barely afford to buy food to fill their hungry stomachs!

Steve Jobs

Before he became a millionaire at age 23, the youngest at the time to make it to Forbes’ list of the country’s richest people, Steve Jobs was poor. The child of two immigrant students who struggled to make ends meet, he was put up for adoption.

The adoption itself was probably a blessing to Jobs whose adoptive father supported his love for electronics. This was how he eventually made a fortune.

Ralph Lauren

The name ‘Ralph Lauren’ is so famous in the fashion industry that it is surprising to learn Lauren had been a poor immigrant who had only dreamed of becoming rich someday. He reportedly wrote “millionaire” as his future goal on his high school year book – and he managed to do that after building his own company from scratch.

Oprah Winfrey

Born into a poor Mississippi family in 1954, Oprah Winfrey ran away from home at age 13 following a difficult childhood under the hands of family members and a family friend. She went on to become first African-American TV correspondent in the state of Tennessee at 19 and an acclaimed TV host who would later own her TV network.

She is officially recognized as the first female black billionaire with a net worth of around $2.6 billion.

J.K. Rowling

Before she made a fortune that’s estimated to be at least $60 million with the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling was a struggling single mom who could barely pay their rent. She battled depression before becoming one of the world’s most famous writers.

Celine Dion

Growing up in a family with 14 children, Celine Dion experienced hardships and didn’t even have a room of her own. She slept on a little ramp that led to her siblings’ shared bedrooms. She rose to fame as one of the world’s most powerful singers and is now worth at least $455 million.

Dolly Parton

Born to a tobacco farmer and construction worker who didn’t even know how to read or write, Dolly Parton shared the struggles of her family as the fourth of 12 children. But the young girl soon became a world-famous singer who would later win nine Grammy awards and is now worth more than $37 million.

Halle Berry

Hally Berry slept in homeless shelters and struggled to make ends meet before becoming a famous actress with a net worth of around $80 million.

When you think of Pinoy foods, fat-rich dishes like lechon, adobo, and crispy pata often come to mind! But there are also lots of healthy but still delicious Pinoy foods that every health buff needs to try.

Ensaladang Talong

A lot of Pinoys love tortang talong but because this is cooked in oil, this isn’t as healthy as ensaladang talong or eggplant salad. It is prepared in a similar way as the torta dish, with the eggplant roasted with the skin on. Then, the skin is removed before the eggplant is mixed with tomatoes, onions, and calamansi.

Tinolang Tahong

Tahong or mussels are popular seafoods in the Philippines, thanks to its ready availability and affordable price. A rich source of folate, zinc, selenium, and vitamin B12, tahong is truly a healthy food. This dish is cooked with ginger, lemon grass, and leafy greens like malunggay or kamote tops.

Ginisang Monggo

Ginisang monggo or sauteed monggo beans is rich in folate, manganese, phosphorus, thiamine, iron, and magnesium. Often considered as poor man’s meat, monggo can be prepared without meat but also tastes great with pork and chicharon.

Laing

Prepared with coconut milk and spices, laing is an authentic Pinoy food that’s rich in iron as well as vitamins A and C. It is a delicious and healthy dish.

Bulanglang or Law-oy

A simple yet very healthy dish, this food item has different names in different areas of the country. Made of vegetables cooked in water without a lot of additives or even meat, this dish is called bulanglang in Batangas and law-oy in the Visayan region. You can add any vegetable you like but this is often cooked with malunggay or camote tops, okra, squash, eggplants, and spices like tomatoes, onions, and lemon grass.

Seaweed Salad

Prepared fresh from the sea, with just some calamansi or vinegar to taste, seaweed salad can be made from lato, guso, or some other seaweed. This healthy dish is a perfect companion to grilled or fried fish or pork.

Pinakbet

A traditional dish that’s cooked using vegetables with alamang (shrimp paste), pinakbet is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is often prepared with squash, string beans, eggplants, and okra. You can cook this with or without meat.

Fish Sinigang or Tinola

Sinigang and tinola are culinary cousins. These are both cooked with a water base and spices but sinigang makes use of items that make the soup sour, such as tamarind or unripe mangoes. Whereas tinola often uses malunggay leaves and camote tops, sinigang uses kangkong leaves and radish. Both can have eggplants.