Senator Urges PSA to Take Proactive Steps for Unregistered Filipinos

In a recent statement, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized the need for the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to adopt a more proactive stance at the local level to assist unregistered Filipinos in obtaining their birth certificates. The senator highlighted that a community-based approach would enhance accessibility and inclusivity, effectively breaking down barriers to civil registration. Gatchalian pointed out the challenges faced by individuals from rural areas in securing necessary documents, stating, ‘The PSA should not merely accept applications passively. It’s tough to get documents if you’re from the countryside.’ He also called on the PSA to find a balance between aiding those not yet registered and preventing the exploitation of the late registration program by fraudulent groups. Gatchalian noted that such fraudulent activities often involve corrupt insiders, saying, ‘They wouldn’t dare if they didn’t have connections with fixers inside.’ He attributed the issue to corruption within the civil registry system.