9,666 unregistered children in region 8, says Plan

By JONNIE H. BUENAVENTURA (PIA 8)
June 17, 2009

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The right to name and nationality are among the basic human rights a person should have in order to determine his existence.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) thru its Regional Director Raul F. Dones is targeting a 100% registration in region 8 with the help of other national agencies, media, church, academe and local government units to a full blown awareness campaign that will lead to the increased participation rate of all parents who give birth to register their child after delivery or within 30 calendar days.

Director Dones is optimistic that the re-activation of the Regional Council on Civil Registration (RCCR) will help achieve the “Target Zero Program Rehistro” which their office launched in 2006 to complement a 100% registration for the period 2005-2010 in accordance with the National Plan of Action for Children and Child 21.

In 2008, a survey was conducted by Plan Philippines in covered Plan areas in region 8 and found out that 9,666 children, ages 0-5 years old are unregistered.

According to Rodel Bontuyan, Plan Philippines Area Manager-Eastern Visayas, the unregistered children, which was figured out was just within the Plan areas covered under their support program.

He said that in region 8 there are 143 municipalities and they surveyed only 19 municipalities where they got their sample and population.

The 9,666 unregistered figures, which was gathered, represents only to children 0-5 years old, how much more for those children or persons above the age bracket who were not registered, he said.

The Area Manager of Plan Philippines in Eastern Visayas challenged the newly re-activated RCCR to look into the matter on how to address the increasing number of unregistered children and ask the NSO to extend assistance by entering into the roster of registered children in the NSO database to give them the right to a name and enjoy the benefits accorded to registered children.

While it is true that Security Paper (SecPa) coming from NSO is a duly recognized document governing government and commercial transactions, the NSO had informed that Security Documents (SecDoc) issued by the civil registrar is also acceptable, however it needs to be authenticated by the NSO for conformity with the data provided in the security paper.