In a significant effort to enhance civil registration, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Antique has set a goal to assist 13,876 residents in obtaining their birth certificates through the Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP). Randy Tacogdoy, the Chief Statistical Specialist of PSA-Antique, highlighted that the initiative targets individuals from 18 municipalities who lack birth records, as confirmed by local civil registry offices and village officials. Many of these individuals reside in remote areas, making it challenging to access registration services.
To address this issue, PSA has deployed five mobile registration teams that work in collaboration with local civil registry offices. As of January 30, the teams have successfully registered 3,852 individuals and provided free PSA birth certificates to 2,458 of them. The initiative was prominently featured during the opening ceremony of the 35th Civil Registration Month in Laua-an town, where 14 residents from various villages, including Guaimon, Latazon, Liya-liya, Pandanan, Poblacion, and Santiago, benefited from the BRAP.
These villages are home to the Iraynon Bukidnon, an Indigenous Peoples group that is a priority for the project. Tacogdoy emphasized the importance of early registration, urging parents to ensure their children are registered promptly to secure proof of legal identity and nationality. This initiative not only aids in personal documentation but also supports broader community development efforts.