On 29 February 2024, in the culminating activity of the 34^th Civil Registration Month, the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Data Dissemination Forum was held to provide a platform to discuss aspects of vital events specifically birth, marriage, and death. 

The forum was attended by the members of the Inter-Agency Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (IACCRVS) or their authorized representatives, to wit: Atty. Paulo C. De Jesus, State Counsel IV, Department of Justice (DOJ); Dr. Hector F. Sorra, Chief, Medico-Legal Division, Philippine National Police (PNP); Dr. Christine Biaoco, Medical Officer III, Department of Health (DOH); Director Val Simon T. Roque, Civil Registry Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); Local Government Operations Officer IV Jimmy S. Sevalla, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Information System Analyst II Aivan Kharlo C. Sueno, Department of Education (DepEd); Professor Maria Midea M. Kabamalan, UP Population Institute (UPPI); Atty. Arjay C. Lim, Director III, National Printing Office (NPO); Director Rosanna L. Lingating, National Commission on Indigenous Persons (NCIP); Chief Yasmin Alonto-Naga, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF); Social Welfare Officer V Imelda R. Ronda, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Statistician Lilibeth T. Mongaya, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); and Country Coordinator Carmina Sarmiento, Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also in attendance were private consultants of the Philippine Statistics Office (PSA): Former National Statistics Office (NSO) Administrator Tomas P. Africa, Former PSA Deputy National Statistician (DNS) Rosalinda F. Bautista, and Former NSO Civil Registration Department Chief Lourdes J. Hufana; and representatives from private partners: Unisys Managed Services Corporation, Pilipinas Teleserve, BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation, JACALA Warehouse. News reporters of GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin were also present during the forum.

The forum was officially opened by a message from Office-In-Charge DNS Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias who stressed that the event is but a fitting way to end the 34th Civil Registration Month as this highlights the achievements of the agency relative to birth, marriage, and death registrations. In addition, PSA has been more responsive as it constantly releases relevant and reliable vital statistics data necessary in the formulation of policies and programs of the country’s top economic managers, health partners, legislators, and PSA stakeholders.

Birth statistics was thoroughly discussed by Engr. Marizza B. Grande, Assistant National Statistician (ANS) of the Civil Registration Service, including the socio-economic effects of civil registration to the entire country.

The marriage statistics, on the other hand, was comprehensively presented by Engr. Elna Ruth F. Casasola, OIC-Chief of the Vital Statistics Division (VSD). The highlight of her discussion was the data on child marriages in the country.

The death statistics was presented by ANS Adrian A. Cerezo of the Social Sectoral Statistics Service. The participants took special interest in this topic since the official data will be the basis of future health programs and policies that the Philippine government may formulate for the betterment of the country.

The presentation successfully elicited a healthy interaction between forum presenters and participants. The resource speakers namely, Maria Paz N. Marquez, Associate Professor VII, UPPI; Gloren R. Hinlo, Acting Division Chief, Commission on Population and Development (CPD); and Rosy Jane Agar-Floro, Training Specialist II of the Department of Health (DOH) were able to deliver their respective views, comments, and provide constructive criticisms in the generation of quality data which can be analyzed and interpreted to help in decision and policy making as well as any other purpose for the good of the country.

The morning open forum was led and moderated by Regional Director Randolph Anthony B. Gales of the Regional Statistical Services Office (RSSO) XI. He emphasized the need to scrutinize the data presented for policy formulation and decision-making programs of the government which are anchored on these outputs.

Another speaker who graced the forum was OIC-DNS Clemente S. Manaog, MNSA of the Civil Registration and Central Support Office. He discussed the significance of birth registration through the PSA’s Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP). He pointed out that BRAP was created as a mechanism to ensure that every Filipino will have his/her own birth certificate to avail and enjoy the benefits of the government’s programs.

In addition, Atty. Eliezer P. Ambatali, Director III, Legal Service delivered his presentation on the statistics of administrative corrections pursuant to Republic Nos. 9048 and 10172, drawing attention to its increasing number of cases.

The afternoon open forum moderated by Atty. Maqtahar L. Manulon, CESO V, Regional Director of RSSO XII. The office collated all vital inputs for desired results and provided recommendations for implementation based on the issues and inputs.

The forum was officially ended by the closing message of OIC-DNS Manaog. He applauded the people behind this event and emphasized that the presentation of achievements, generation of statistics, and data dissemination are of great significance as policies and programs of the government are rooted on these outputs. In addition, he expressed the need to put more emphasis on the BRAP targeting late registrations. 
 

- Civil Registration Service, Civil Registration and Central Support Office