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Press Release - Gatchalian urges PSA to implement a proactive approach at the local level in dealing with unregistered Filipinos

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to adopt a proactive, community-based approach to help individuals not yet registered in the civil registry secure their birth certificates. He earlier filed Senate Bill 2914 which seeks to overhaul the country's Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system to curb counterfeit record-keeping following the discovery of fake birth registrations of foreigners involved in criminal activities.

"Hindi lang dapat ministerial na tatanggap lang ng mga application and PSA. Kung galing ka sa probinsya, mahirap talagang kumuha ng dokumento," noted Gatchalian during a consultative meeting conducted by the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights on the proposed Philippine Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act.

According to him, the city government of Valenzuela implemented a similar approach after noting that some of those employed in factories operating in the city lack birth certificates, which prevents them from making public and financial transactions. In response, the city government deployed dedicated personnel to assist individuals in completing the requirements for late registration.

The assistance program helped applicants fulfill the necessary steps, including obtaining affidavits from two disinterested persons and securing a statement from the traditional midwife or "hilot" who attended their birth.

At the same time, Gatchalian urged the PSA to strike a balance between assisting those who are not yet included in the civil registry and preventing unscrupulous individuals or groups from securing fraudulent birth certificates by taking advantage of the late registration program as in the case of Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, also known as Alice Guo.

This proactive framework offers a path to improved accessibility and inclusivity, empowering citizens to fully participate in economic and legal systems by resolving barriers to civil registration.

"Hindi naman sila maglalakas-loob kung wala silang kausap na sindikato sa loob," he said, referring to those who have obtained birth certificates through fraudulent means. "The problem is due to corrupt civil registrar or civil registry

Read more on legacy.senate.gov.ph
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