First 12 municipalities receive equipment under digital birth registration initiative
First 12 municipalities receive equipment under digital birth registration initiative
On 28 January 2025, 12 municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the province of Sulu received equipment as part of an initiative to expand the reach of digital birth registration in areas that have previously registered low rates of birth registration.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines turned birth registration equipment over to representatives of the municipalities in a handover ceremony held in Davao City which was witnessed by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD).
The pilot municipalities and cities included in the handover are Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, and Cotabato City in Maguindanao; Butig, Masiu, and Marawi City in Lanao del Sur; Luuk, Omar, and Talipao in Sulu; Maluso in Basilan; and Languyan and South Ubian in Tawi-Tawi. These areas are part of the initial phase of the Japan-funded Initiative for Promoting Digital Birth Registration which plans to reach a total of 50 municipalities in 30 months.
“The active participation in this initiative of the 12 pilot municipalities and cities shows us the significant awareness and interest from the BARMM and Sulu to expand and strengthen the protection space for marginalized communities. Expanding the impact of digital birth registration in these areas will ensure that no one is left behind,” said UNHCR Philippines Head of National Office Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo.
“Ensuring more of the region’s citizens are acknowledged and included in the region’s progress is essential to a lasting peace. A stronger sense of belongingness can serve as a firm bedrock for more inclusive communities, and a more harmonious region. Opportunities such as this reflect Japan’s unwavering commitment to the region’s stability and its promising possibilities,” expressed Honorable ENDO Kazuya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Philippines.
From 27 to 28 January 2025, UNHCR and its partners also provided a two-day capacity development support to Local Civil Registrars of the pilot areas, particularly on the use of the MSSD-initiated Civil Registry Registration Information System (CRRIS). The system aims to improve file management systems in Municipal Civil Registrar (MCR) offices in the region by digitizing, indexing, and archiving records, and generating statistical reports that aid in tracking birth registration progress and coverage.
"The development of digital system, ICT support and capacity strengthening of our local partners are important component of free birth registration programming for our children. This is part of Bangsamoro Government commitment to fulfill children's rights through MSSD's social protection programmes,” said Hasim Guiamil, Director II, Programs and Operations Services of the MSSD.
***
ABOUT UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.
In the Philippines, UNHCR has maintained a presence for over 40 years, working on providing durable solutions to refugees, ending and reducing statelessness, and empowering displaced families.
ABOUT THE INITIATIVE FOR PROMOTING DIGITAL BIRTH REGISTRATION
The Initiative is being implemented by UNHCR Philippines to improve the birth registration rate in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Sulu province. Through funding from the Government of Japan, UNHCR Philippines together with its partners Community and Family Services International (CFSI), Relief International )RI), and UNICEF Philippines, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Philippine Statistics Authority – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PSA-BARMM), and the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPRU), works on strengthening the protection space for the Sama Bajaus and unregistered children within the context of forced displacement due to armed conflict. The initiative also covers decommissioned combatants and their families as part of the efforts to complement the normalization efforts of the Philippine Government.
The Initiative is seen to benefit some 30,000 individuals during its 30-month implementation period and is expected to further benefit 800,000 individuals or 80,000 families in the next 10 years.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Cepeda
External Relations Associate
(02) 88172398