27 October 2022, Talipao, Sulu. – The Philippine Statistics Authority-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through its Provincial Office in Sulu and in collaboration with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Talipao, has successfully awarded a total of 181 Birth Certificates in Security Paper (SecPA) under PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP) of Philippine Statistics Authority to the beneficiaries ranging from 2 to 84 years old. The awarding ceremony was held in the Municipal Hall of Talipao on 27 October 2022. It was the first batch of awarding of SecPa organized by the Municipal Civil Registration Office of Talipao with approximately 4,276 target registrants.

The ceremony was headed by Engr. Akan G. Tula, OIC-Regional Director of PSA-BARMM together with the Chief Statistical Specialist of PSA-Sulu, Engr. Medzhor A. Tan, and the Municipal Administrator of Talipao, Mr. Abejar Sahimarri.

It was also facilitated by Mr. Delson Yusop, Registration Officer IV of RSSO BARMM together with Ms. Darwisa I. Jakkang, Registration Officer II of PSA-Sulu, Mr. Sawadjaan Manulon, PBRAP Regional Focal Person and Ms. Khisra Mukarram, Municipal Civil Registrar of Talipao.

PSA is carrying out PBRAP, a flagship initiative, in collaboration with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), to make sure that all Filipino births are recorded in the local civil registry offices and enrolled in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). More specifically, the unregistered Filipinos from indigenous peoples (IPs), Muslim Filipinos, the marginalized sector, and those living in remote or hard to reach areas—including those who have moved away from their place of birth—are the target beneficiaries of PBRAP.

PBRAP strengthens the nation's will to carry out President Benigno S. Aquino III's Proclamation No. 1106 designating the years 2015 to 2024 as the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Decade. Under the goal of the universal civil registration, about 99.5% of all Filipinos in 2024 should have their births registered with the local civil registrars and be provided their legal documentation through the issuance of birth certificate. PBRAP also aims to strengthen the documentation of the Step 2 Registration of RA 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act.

The successful ceremonial awarding of the SecPa of Birth Certificates in Talipao is an excellent manifestation of an efficient implementation of the Birth Registration Project between PSA and LGUs. More so, the project involves the provision of assistance in the processing of delayed registration of births, facilitating the out-of-town registrations and; verification of the existence of civil registry records from the PSA Civil Registry System database; as well as the implementation of the Philippine Civil Registry Information System (PhilCRIS) through mobile registrations.

The registration of the birth records of the beneficiaries will pave the way to access social services and other government or private transactions. This initiative on civil registration is expected to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the beneficiaries, particularly children and elderly, since these documents are being used and submitted as one of the basic requirements in school, and job applications, among others.