ACT FOR CRVS

She dreamt to be a teacher. She strived for excellence and graduated as Magna Cum
Laude in a prestigious university. But she was not able take the Licensure Examination for
Teachers. She was an achiever in most of her endeavor but she was not able to materialize her
ultimate dream because SHE is a HE in her Birth Certificate.

Friends, ladies and gentlemen: What I have told you is not a myth, it really happened
and I’m sure some of you were victims of it. How many of you were not able to take the board
exam on time because your name is spelled wrongly? How many of you were deprived of being
employed in a better job because you do not have birth certificate? How many of you were
bereaved of a happy wedding because the love of your life is not yet registered in the PSA?

Many years ago, it was not practiced that all children are registered at birth and that all
people are registered when they die with a medically assigned cause of death registration. We
rarely initiate to do it. It is a custom that the “hilot” or institution where the birth takes place
will be the one to register the baby. And the undertaker registers a death. This in part explains
why so many births and deaths go unrecorded up to this time.

As we celebrate the Civil Registration Month (CRM) with the theme, “#napapanahong
CRVS”, I believe that we need to practice ACT, which is an acronym.

A is for Accountable and Accuracy. We should always be responsible to register our

children upon birth. Let us make sure that the spelling, gender and other data stated in the
birth certificate of our children are correct. Registration is vital for national planning. Knowing
the size and composition of the local population, local authorities can decide how much- and
what type of essential services will be provided to us. Similarly, the cause of death data from
civil registration systems are vital for pinpointing the diseases and injuries that are cutting lives
short and for planning preventive services to avoid premature mortality. Causes of death data
are also useful to inform governments about the outbreaks of fatal disease. The government
can make policies based on evidences rather than ideology, anecdotes and political
considerations.

C is for Cooperation and Completeness. Through cooperation, there will be a

systematic CRVS. If all Filipinos will work together with the PSA, definitely we can have a
timely, accurate and complete data in our CRVS.

Last but not the least, T which stands for Technology and Time. Most Filipinos own
mobile phones which can be a means for the authorities to access, collect and store birth and
death registration data and the cause of death information. We can transport information
quickly through technology. Since, we are surrounded with technology, let’s us use it for the
common good.

Now is the time for us to work hand in hand in order to attain the CRVS’ mission which
is committed to collect, compile, process and generate quality data on vital records through an
effective and efficient civil registration system to meet the needs of individuals, the nation, and
global community. Fellow Filipinos, ACT is very easy. Even a 4 year old child can read it, but a
few can perform it. This is a challenge to all of us, will we practice ACT for a better quality,
complete and timely CRVS?