MAASIN CITY (PIA) — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) provincial office recently awarded copies of the certificate of live birth (COLB) to two oldest citizens of the province, a male and a female, both aged 99 years old this year.
The male, Emiliano Radasa Abenir, a resident of Brgy. Sua, San Juan, was born February 15, 1924, while the female, Enecita Aure Tillo, was born on January 1, 1924, at San Isidro, Macrohon.
The granting of security paper-printed birth certificates to the two nonagenarians of the province is being carried out under the PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP), the provincial PSA office said in a press statement.
With no children of his own and a widower, Lolo Emiliano is living alone and is being taken care of by one of his siblings’ grandchildren who was living nearby.
“He finished Grade l, and worked as a farmer all his life,” the PSA said, adding that the COLB was given to Abenir at his residence.
One of his nephews made it sure that their uncle be listed in the PBRAP, knowing fully well that the elderly has no birth certificate — his only identification was a voter’s ID and a barangay certification.
“At my current age, I consider every day a gift from God and I hope I will reach my centenarian year,” Abenir said as quoted by PSA.
He said he appreciated the government’s efforts in helping the senior citizens (SCs), particularly PBRAP, because many SCs do not have birth certificates and they can now register their births for free.
Meanwhile, the female, Enecita Aure Tillo, or Lola Citas as she is fondly called by her “apos,” was residing at her daughter’s residence at Brgy. Bunga Padre Burgos at the time the PSA papers were given.
She was the youngest in a family with 10 children, was widowed at 80 years old, and was having seven children of her own.
“Unfortunately Lola Citas died on July 3, 2023,” the PSA reported.
PBRAP, which was implemented by PSA starting in February 2022, ensured that all births of Filipinos are registered in the LCROs and that they will be enrolled in the Philippine ldentification System (PhilSys).
The project was aimed at strengthening the birth registration in the country, and accomplishing the enormous goal of ensuring that all births of Filipinos are registered, especially the marginalized sectors belonging to the lndigenous People, Muslim Filipinos, other Filipinos belonging to marginalized communities, and the poorest sectors of the country, PSA pointed out.
“By establishing their legal identity through registering births and having the Philsys lD, they can avail of various social benefits from the private and government institutions,” the PSA report further said. (MMP/PIA Southern Leyte/With a report from PSA Southern Leyte)
