The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Bicol has revealed that over 80,000 residents in the Bicol region still do not have birth certificates.

Most of those without birth certificates are indigenous people, members of the Muslim community, and those living in marginalized or remote areas.

The PSA attributes the lack of registration to various reasons, including disinterest or inconvenience among some residents. This poses a challenge, especially as a birth certificate is required in obtaining a National ID and accessing other government benefits.

“Ang iba talaga daeng intensyon magrehistro, dahil they live their lives na wala namang birth certificate, but then sa ngunian dahil ngane sa National ID, kaipuhan magrehistro ang kaipuhan birth certificate din,” Cynthia Perdiz, Regional Director of PSA Bicol, said.

To address this issue, the PSA has launched the Birth Registration Assistance Project, which offers free registration services to those in need. 

Their goal for 2024 is to achieve a 99.5 percent registration rate.