Kalibo, Aklan -- The Department of Education (DepEd) here and other concerned agencies recently aired their appeal to local government units to help in the registration of their constituents so these people will be issued birth certificates.
Amelia Lim, Alternative Learning System (ALS) Coordinator in Aklan revealed during a recent meeting here that there are still many Aklanons who have no birth certificates.
Some of these people, according to her, are already old, others are just babies and children and the rest belong to indigenous groups.
Lim said people who avail of tests given by the ALS to assess their learning level need birth certificates badly.
For his part, Blas Solidum, Provincial Statistics Officer of NSO- Aklan said he will try to find means to have these Aklanons registered by their respective Municipal Civil Registrar offices.
According to him, municipalities with many unregistered Aklanons include Libacao, Madalag and Malay.
Libacao and Madalag are highland and interior municipalities in Aklan while Malay, where Boracay Island belongs, has Aeta communities.
"Birth certificates are very important. Presently, Grade I pupils are required already to submit authenticated copies of their birth certificates upon enrollment. Parents should exert efforts to have their children registered. Municipal Civil Registrars should also bring their services to the people", Solidum said.
He added availing late registrations is also expensive. He reminded parents too, and other informants to ensure that the entries in the birth registration forms are correct to avoid going to court if there are corrections needed.
The issue on birth registration came up in the meeting held recently to plan out activities for this year's celebration of National Statistics Month in October where it was suggested that one of the activities is to conduct registration of those who have never registered before regardless of age.
It was also suggested if penalty fees could be waived for registering late. However, the privilege would only for those who cannot afford to pay the penalties, the NSO and the DepEd emphasized.
Aklan's celebration of Statistics Month will be launched on October 19 through the opening of the Statistical Exhibit. This year, the DPWH and the National Statistics Association spearhead the event. The theme of the celebration, now on its 21st year, is "Towards a Philippine Statistical System Responsive to Emerging National and Global Challenges." (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)