BIRTH REGISTRATIONS. Baby Jean Alid, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Statistics Authority - Davao Region's Civil Registration and Administrative Services Division, shows a copy of the agency's statement regarding fraudulent birth registrations during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum in Davao City on Tuesday (July 23, 2024). Alid assures the PSA will help authorities hold the staff accountable for fraudulent birth registrations in a Davao del Sur town. (PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)
DAVAO CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority in Davao Region (PSA-11) on Tuesday vowed to assist in the ongoing probe against fraudulent birth registrations in a town in Davao del Sur.
This came after a 21-year-old Chinese national who applied for a Philippine passport in this city used a falsified birth certificate allegedly issued by the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) of Sta. Cruz town.
Last week, the region’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-11) revealed that 1,200 foreigners believed to be Chinese nationals obtained birth certificates issued by the Sta. Cruz LCRO.
However, the NBI-11 clarified that some were found to be legally processed.
“The PSA has no direct supervision of the LCRO. It is under the local government units and they have the power to appoint and discipline employees. PSA can only recommend for administrative sanction,” Baby Jean Alid, officer-in-charge of PSA-11 civil registration and administrative services, said during Tuesday’s Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum here.
Alid said the local government of Sta. Cruz, led by Mayor Jose Nelson Sala Sr., has already opened a fact-finding investigation and taken initial actions against the alleged staff involved.
To address the problem of spurious birth registrations, Alid said they are supporting the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics bill, which aims to create a more comprehensive, inclusive, and efficient system that leverages modern technology.
“PSA is actively talking with legislators sponsoring the bill, that the law would enforce stricter civil registration processes to ensure the document's integrity. It will also impose higher penalties for those who will violate the provisions of the law or process of registration,” she added.
Under Republic Act No. 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act, the PSA is mandated to serve as the central repository of all registered vital documents submitted by the LCROs.
Such functions include receiving documents that affect the vital events of individuals in the country for storage in the national civil registry database and issuing certified copies of civil registry documents based on the records submitted to the PSA. (PNA)
