MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Noting the importance of birth certificates to authenticate one's identity and gain access to basic social services, the Community Family Services International (CFSI) assisted vulnerable individuals in the province secure certificate of live birth in security paper (SECPA) from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Through its Marawi Covid Recovery Project (MCRP), CFSI provided 3,172 individuals with SECPA copies of their birth certificates as of October 2022. These individuals are residents of the project's covered barangays in Marawi City and the municipalities of Ditsaan-ramain, Marantao, Piagapo, Butig, Lumbayanague and Masiu.

"The SECPA birth certificates were used by the recipients to avail of government services and programs," said Project Coordinator Farida Mangcaan.

She emphasized that because of the SECPA birth certificates households were assured of their children's enrollment in school, elderlies and PWDs were able to apply for social pension and stipend programs, respectively, while the sick have availed of free Malasakit services of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center.

Among the recipients is farmer Madrigal Amerol and his family of seven from the Ditsaan-Ramain town. He is thankful because they were able to get SECPA birth certificates which they used for Pantawid Pamilya enrollment.

Meanwhile, Mangcaan said they would continue with the support until all the 3,800 target individuals are served.

The MCRP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It has three components, namely, livelihood, protection, and psychosocial.

The facilitation of birth registration is part of the protection component which aims to ensure that persons uprooted by the Marawi siege and the early impact of the pandemic can fully exercise their rights without fear of retribution. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)