SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) - - The Philippine Statistics Authority-Antique awarded the first-ever free Certificates of Live Birth (COLB or Birth Certificates) in Security Paper (SECPA or PSA copy) to Philsys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP) beneficiaries in the municipality of Libertad, Antique recently.

Provincial Statistics Officer Randy M. Tacogdoy said that under the PBRAP, the requirements for late registration of births are relaxed, the issuance of the certification of negative registration is free, late registration penalties are waived and thereafter the Certificate of Live Birth in Security Paper is issued for free.

The initiative underscores the intensification of birth registration efforts among the marginalized population such as the Indigenous Peoples, Muslim Filipinos, and the poorest sector, and is consequently expected to expand enrollment to the Philippine Identification System with the eventual issuance of the PhilID or National ID.

The beneficiaries from Brgy. Panangkilon and Brgy. Inyawan, Libertad, the pioneer communities which received their COLBs, expressed their gratitude to the implementation of the project.

The local officials of the covered barangays noted that the recipients do not need to go to Kalibo, Aklan spending their resources, time and effort to get their PSA authenticated certificates.

One parent said “this means a lot especially now that the schools are requiring children of their birth certificate.”

Currently, the Local Government Units, through the Municipal Local Registry Offices throughout the province had submitted a total of 13,168 names for verification out of 14,360 target beneficiaries.

Out of the 10,994 Omnibus Certificates of beneficiaries without record, 515 were so far successfully registered and electronically endorsed.

The activity was held in observance of the 33rd Civil Registration Month themed, “PSA @ 10: Providing Efficient and Effective Civil Registration and Vital Statistics through DigitalTransformation.” (JBG/PSA/PIA-Antique)