Press Release
January 4, 2014

Poe calls for probe on unregistered births in the country

Sen. Grace Poe has called for an inquiry into the extent of unregistered births among the estimated 98 million Filipinos.

In Senate Resolution no. 417, Poe urged the Senate to look into the status of unregistered births in the country, aimed at working toward 100 percent birth profiling and upholding basic human right to a legally-recognized name and nationality.

"Birth registration is a fundamental human right that can safeguard children from harm and exploitation," Poe said in her resolution.

An estimated 7.5 million Filipinos children and adults have no basic proof of identity, according to child's rights advocate Plan International. United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has reported that 10 percent of Filipinos under the age of five were not registered at birth.

The Unicef report noted that many families in rural areas lacked information on how to register their children officially and may not fully appreciate the significance of birth registration. Most of them were also discouraged by the high fees and tedious process involved.

"Unregistered births are a symptom of the inequities and disparities in society, with poor children from certain ethnic groups becoming the most vulnerable," Poe said in filing Senate Resolution No. 417.

"Birth registration is also central to a country's vital statistics, which provide the data needed for sound social and economic planning," the senator added.

Poe cited the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which mandates the immediate registration of children after birth and their right to a name and nationality.

Several laws, among them Commonwealth Act Nos. 591 and 3753, Presidential Decree 651 and Republic Act No. 9048, provide for a legal framework for the registration of births, Poe said.

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