Free birth registration for indigenous folk pushed

MANILA, Philippines - A senior administration lawmaker is pushing for the immediate passage of a bill requiring free birth registration for indigenous peoples (IPs).

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill 4701 which mandates all civil registrars to accept both timely and delayed birth registration of members of IPs free of charge. The measure is co-authored by his brother, Abante Mindanao Rep. Maximo Rodriguez.

“The lack of birth registration is often caused by the fact that many of these IPs are indigent and lack the necessary finances to be able to register, hence the need to encourage them in order for the state to afford them the necessary protection they deserve,” Rodriguez said.

He said many IPs are not registered and for disadvantaged Filipinos such as them, birth registration only becomes significant when they experience problems in transactions requiring proofs of name, age or nationality.