PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) –The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Palawan has conducted refresher training for the local civil registrants on the general procedures and reglementary period of civil registrations to continuously improve delivery of service on the ground.
Supervising Statistical Specialist and Officer-in-Charge Donna Marie Mobe said that the training is essential, particularly for civil registrar personnel who conduct the registration process in communities.
“Naka-focus din kami sa staff nila (of MCR), ‘yong staff na mismo silang gumagawa ng registration, dapat nalalaman din nila. Iba rin ang training kapag galing sa PSA,” Mobe said.
PSA provides annual training to personnel, including the new memorandum circular issued by the central office that is needed to be implemented on the ground.
The capacity training is aligned with the PSA celebration of its 35th Civil Registry Month, which kicked off with a motorcade along with partner agencies like the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and PhilHealth.
In 2024, the nation’s civil registrar-general, Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa, said that over 13,000 Palaweños have no birth records and are yet to be registered by PSA. They are part of the 20,818 individuals identified by PSA as among those who remain unregistered in the city of Puerto Princesa and the province of Palawan as per the 2020 Census of Population and Housing. Palawan’s 13,000 unregistered individuals are part of the country’s 1.2 million target.
Among the efforts of the provincial office is the continuous implementation of the Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP), which helps register indigenous communities and indigent individuals.
“Instead of having napakaraming requirement for delayed registration, si BRAP ay medyo pina-ease niya ang other requirements—Pagregister natin ng unregistered birth ay patuloy naman kaya lang hindi rin maiiwasan na ‘yong iba ay ayaw pa,” she said.
PSA Palawan monitors the progress of municipal civil registrars in hitting the target population of unregistered individuals in every town.
Mobe admitted that there are still individuals who do not yet see the importance of registering their birth, which PSA continuously addresses.
PSA banks on the conduct of information dissemination campaigns to help communities see the importance of civil registration, particularly in availing government services. The barangay workforce plays a crucial role in encouraging communities, she added.
“Dapat ang target talaga, pagkapanganak pa lang ay may registration na kaya lang naipon na lang nang naipon ang mga matatanda na wala pang rehistro. Hindi nila alam noon na mahalaga, ngayon pa lang nila nakikita kasi ang social services ng government—requirement ay birth certificate,” she said.
Aside from the conduct of the quiz bee, other activities aligned with the civil registry month include an infographics workshop and a school tour. These activities will enhance the information dissemination campaigns by leveraging data to increase public awareness, especially among the youth, she added. (RG/PIA MIMAROPA-Palawan)
