Securing a copy of your birth certificate is very, very important, a story from Inquirer reminds us.
Just consider the following people who are bummed:
- Myrna, a 58-year old high school teacher, who needs a certificate to prove that she was born on March 27, 1954 and not 1953 (which is what is in all her school records). She needs this to qualify and get benefits under a retirement program of her school.
- Carlito Allarete, a 47-year old volunteer fireman who could not have his voter’s ID renewed, and may not get a job because most companies ask for a birth certificate as a requirement.
- Helen Biseder, a 31-year-old who was working as a janitress at Negros Navigation in 2005 whose contract was cut short because she couldn’t produce her birth certificate when she applied for the Social Security System.
Good thing the national Statistics Office launched last June “Operation Birth Right,” which allows indigents to get their birth certificates for free.
In Quezon City, people can register for free in public schools while in Makati City, there is free consultation and late registration on Saturdays, care of the “Civil Registration sa Barangay” program.
A birth certificate is indeed very important so props to the government for coming up with “Operation Birth Right” to help less-fortunate Pinoys secure a copy of their birth certificate.
