BACOLOD City – The city government of Sagay in Negros Occidental is targeting to provide birth certificate assistance to up to 6,000 learners this school year through its school-based civil registration program.
As of November 3, the city government had identified 4,377 potential beneficiaries, of whom 1,974 had already received their birth certificates, City Civil Registrar Engr. Vivencio Flores said.
Flores said the Local Civil Registrar’s Office continues to visit schools to distribute the remaining documents while awaiting beneficiary lists from schools that have yet to submit the names of learners needing assistance.
Now in its third year, the program brings civil registration services directly to schools, reducing the burden on parents and making essential documents more accessible to students.
This school year, the initiative covers learners in Kindergarten and Grades 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Students from other grade levels were covered during the program’s first two years.
The city government allocated P1.3 million through the Local Council for the Protection of Children to finance this year’s implementation.
Aside from providing copies of birth certificates, the funding also covers assistance for petitions to correct entries, supplemental reports for missing information, and legitimation, when applicable.
Flores emphasized that the initiative goes beyond distributing birth certificates, as it also helps families correct errors and address incomplete information in their children’s civil registry records.
The program was formally launched on October 8 at Eusebio Lopez Memorial Integrated School, followed by scheduled visits of civil registration personnel to participating schools.
Flores said Mayor Leo Rafael M. Cueva wants the initiative sustained until all learners under the Sagay Schools Division have complete and accurate birth certificates.
The city government aims to complete its initial coverage of learners from Grades 1 to 12 by 2027. Afterward, the program will continue accommodating incoming students who need civil registration assistance.
Birth certificates are essential not only for school enrollment but also for accessing government services, employment opportunities, and other legal transactions.
Through the initiative, Sagay City aims to address gaps in civil registration early and ensure that learners will not encounter difficulties securing essential documents as they advance in their education and eventually enter the workforce./PN