As part of its mandate to enforce the Civil Registry Law, the Davao City Civil Registry Office has called attention to the importance of this year’s Civil Registration Month with the theme: “Makiisa, Makisali sa Dekadang CRVS.”
According to Shirley Arendain, Registration Officer of CCRO, the celebration is in accordance to the advocacy of “getting everyone registered and of promoting awareness on the importance of civil registration in the lives of the Filipino.”
“The civil registration and vital statistics is important as it serves as a basis for formulation of health programs, population projection and policy-making activities of the government for social and economic growth,” Arendain explained.
The month-long celebration is also a reminder to the public, particularly parents, records clerk, midwives, medical practitioners and other stakeholders that registration is compulsory and it is their responsibility to provide correct and accurate information during registration to prevent erroneous entries in the civil registry documents.
In line with this celebration, the CCRO in cooperation with Philippine Statistics Association, slated various activities such as information campaign and launching sattelite office at SM Malls for inquiries of birth, marriage certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates.
“They can inquire, request for certified photocopies and they may claim the documents the next day,” she said, adding that those who has corrections on their birth certificated may approach the officers in the sattelite offices to know the proper proceedings and requirements.
“There are still people who are shy to go to our office to register, so it is part of our initiative to go to the hinterland areas of the city to register them,” she said, adding that a specialized program for the Indigenous People through mobile registration will also be highlighted by the CCRO officers.
The annual observance of this activity is anchored on Presidential Proclamation No.682 “Declaring the Month of February of every year as Civil Registration Month.”
CCRO has also noted the increase in corrections for birth certificates, and registration for marriage license, marriage contracts, and death certificates.
Their data showed that there were 5,760 marriage license in 2016, an increase of 1.07% compared to 5,699 marriage licenses in 2015.
CCRO also recorded 8,478 marriage contracts in 2016, an increase of 7.14% compared to 7,913 contracts in 2015.
Meanwhile, Arendain reported that there was a decrease of registration of birth certificates in 2016 which recorded 44,020, a 3.25% decrease compared to the 45,500 registrations in 2015.
There is also a 10% increase noted for death certificates in 2016 which has 12,417 while there were 11,341 certificates filed in 2015.
CCRO has also tallied a 16.47% increase in the corrections of birth certificates in 2016, noting that 2015 has 3,114 corrected files while 2016 has 3,627.
Under Republic Act 9048, the city or municipal civil registrar is authorized to correct a clerical or typographic error in an entry and change the name or nickname in the civil register without need of a judicial order.
“Out of these statistics, we could generate information and it would help then policy makers and the government,” she said.
Arendain calls the public to support this activity and consider the importance of civil registration for an effective and vibrant civil registry system in the city.
