BATANGAS CITY – Some 50 local women leaders, who are presidents of their respective women’s groups of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) from different barangays in this city, are now deputized as civil registration agents following their oath taking on Tuesday.
Batangas City Civil Registrar Josephine Maranan said their office has tapped the support and assistance from the women’s group for their officers to serve as newly-deputized civil registration agents for their extensive registration process.
Maranan said before the mass oath-taking last Monday at the OCVAS Training Room here, the KALIPI presidents have completed the Seminar on the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) and Manual of Instructions pursuant to Republic Act 9255 signed by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Feb. 24, 2004 or “An Act allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surname of their Father as an amendment to Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the “Family Code of the Philippines.”
The city civil registrar said they wanted to focus on the implementation of R.A. No. 9255, legitimatizing the child’s surname especially for unmarried parents using the biological father’s surname provided that the father has consented and acknowledged the child he sired.
She said under the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations, the deputized civil registration agents were also briefed that in addition to the father’s surname, the consent and signature of the mother is also required.
She explained that mothers of months-old to below 7 year-old child also need to submit an Affidavit to use the Surname of the Father (AUSF).
On the other hand, children aged 7 to 17 years old are already recognized as applicants to submit the affidavit personally as they are assumed to have already understood its purpose but this process still requires attestation or permission from their mother.
Maranan added that children aged 18 years old and above will submit the affidavit personally without a required attestation from the mother.
She reiterated that signing the AUSF must be done in their office to ensure the legitimacy of the signatures of those involved.
The City Civil Registrar said their enhanced services are in line with the goals of the Philippine Development Plan “Ambisyon 2040” which seeks to provide “a happy and prosperous way of living for every Filipino with registration and statistics as among the important elements.”
Batangas Provincial Statistics Officer in-charge Raul Maximo Tolentino said they are pursuing the goal along this line through giving civil registration agents enough information for them to be able to clearly and concisely explain to barangay constituents.
“It is important that barangay folks are informed on the new Supreme Court ruling pertaining to legitimization works and how it is important for everyone to abide and give the children fair succession rights,” Tolentino added.
City Mayor Beverly Rose Dimacuha, who graced the mass oath taking ceremony of the deputized registry agents, expressed support and faith in demonstrating women empowerment by these local women’s group to assist in cascading civil registration to the barangay and the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Officer Mila Española highlighted the importance of civil registration in the processing of documents for various clients and multi-sectors especially in the far-flung communities that are hardly reached for birth, death and other civil registration services. (Maroe T. Genosa/PNA)
