By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
The likelihood that a person exists without birth, marriage, or death records is “very slim,” a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) official told the Senate impeachment court Monday, while stressing that delayed registration and gaps in the civil registry remain possible.
Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande made the assessment during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte after Senate President Win Gatchalian asked whether a person with no record of any of the three major vital events could still exist.
“Very slim ‘yung chance kasi kung wala kang birth certificate, mayroon namang mga tao na walang birth certificate pero nagpapakasal. Or kung namatay sila, mandatory na i-register,” Grande said.
She said at least one vital event would normally leave a record that could help establish a person’s existence.
Gatchalian asked Grande to clarify whether, based on her 25 years of experience at the PSA, it would be difficult for a person to leave no birth, marriage or death record at all.
“Yes po, Your Honor,” Grande replied.
The questioning came as senator-judges scrutinized PSA certifications involving names appearing in acknowledgment receipts submitted in connection with confidential fund expenditures of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education.
Grande said PSA certifications, including negative certifications, are routinely requested by courts and other government agencies to determine whether birth, marriage or death records exist.
Asked whether such certifications have been used in court proceedings, she replied in the affirmative, although she said she was not aware of specific rulings where a court ultimately declared that a person did not exist solely on the basis of a negative PSA certification.
Grande stressed the importance of birth registration in accessing basic services, including school enrollment and government benefits.
“Napaka-importante po ‘yung birth certificate… hindi sila maka-access sa anumang serbisyo without the birth certificate,” she said.
The PSA, however, did not conduct a separate investigation to determine whether the individuals behind names that yielded no registry records were actual living persons.
Grande said the agency limited its work to verifying and summarizing civil registry results, while periodically checking whether new records have been submitted for the names under scrutiny.
