Civil registration now: next best

thing to registration after birth

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 17 (PIA)—Next to civil registration at birth, late registration in time for the civil registration month in February is the next best thing.

This as most local civil registrars, in cooperation with municipal governments, offer waived payments of penalties for late registration of registrable documents and copies of the re-issuance of vital documents to support the application, according to the PSA officials at the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

Civil registration is supposed to be the continuous, permanent and compulsory recording of vital events in the life of an individual as birth, marriage, death as well as all decrees, legal instruments and judicial orders affecting the civil status of every citizen.

But once a year, during Civil Registration Month, Local Government Units supporting the PSA, offer various irresistible offers to encourage civil registration.

For births, civil registration should happen within 30 days upon birth, or the registration is considered late.

Registry Officers II of Bohol PSA Glenda Wahing and Eleazar Abes came to the Kapihan sa PIA to announce that in February, local government units in Bohol present various civil registration packages for the observance of the Civil Registration Month.

On this specific month, LGUS waive some fees for certifications and offer packages for free mass wedding ceremonies with lavish inclusions like free wedding cakes, bridal bouquets, wine, couple photos, wedding rings, and banquets, all to support the registration of marriages, according to Wahing.

Late registration of births on the other hand entail a lengthy process with documentary requirements that could be bulky if some are not waived.

Requirements needed for the late registration include provision of ID pictures, Baptismal Certificates of father and mother, Marriage certificate of parents, barangay certifications as well as PSA issued negative certificates stating that the person has not been registered.

That, plus the effort to go to the local civil registrar’s office in the town centers, the process is not just a hassle, it is also a pain in the pocket.

Not in February when LCRs and their allied offices conduct mobile registrations with waived fees.

Depending on towns, LCRs by authority of the Sanggunian and the Local Chief Executives can take out the payments, leaving only the mandated PSA payments in the process for a much cheaper and more convenient registration, Registration officer 2 Abes said.

The PSA however has a recent complicated policy for late registration especially those 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100.

Such is because the enactment of Republic Act 11982 or the act granting benefits to Filipino Octogenarian and nonagenarians, amending the Centenarians Act of 2016, has the government making sure that nobody hacks the system and abuses it.

The amended Centenarians Act states that Filipinos turning 80, 85, 90 and 95 gets a P10K cash gift while those turning 100, gets P100K.

Over this, the PSA mandates the LCRs to prescreen the applicants for late registration based on their true identity and facts of birth, of which would be submitted to the PSA Civil Registration System outlets for evaluation.

The evaluation includes counter-checking of the age and establishment of the identity of the registrants through verification in the Civil Registry System database using the information submitted, PSA said.

Any discrepancies or false statements provided would be a ground for the return of the application for correction of data or denial of the registration.

All you need to do is go to the nearest LCR and get your registration moving. (PIABohol)

FEWER LATE CIVIL REGISTRATION. While the PSA through Registry Officer Glenda Wahing said there are now fewer late registration of births with the mandate to use the government birthing centers instead of home deliveries, the surge of late registration in 80-95 years old has proven to be trickier. (PIABohol)