Council oks free civil registrar services

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has approved the ordinance granting free civil registrar services for residents of the city.

The City Legal Office expressed support for the proposed ordinance, through a letter to the city officials and members of the council dated April 12 signed by then city attorney Jerone Castillo. The office acknowledged the ordinance as an upright move that will serve the public.    

Last April, Councilor Lea Japson submitted the proposal to institutionalize services of the Cebu City Civil Registrar every February.

As per Presidential Proclamation No. 682 signed by the late President Corazon Aquino, February has been declared as Civil Registration Month.

With the approval, the ordinance will "…grant free delayed registration of birth, marriage and death, filing of legitimation, free legal services for legal services for legal instruments in support thereof, and one day free issuance of certifications for birth, marriage and deaths in the office of the city civil registrar in the month of February of each year and providing funds therefor."

 "WHEREAS, pursuant thereto, the Cebu City Registrar had maintained a set of activities to promote Civil Registration and to provide beneficial services to the constituents of Cebu City through mobile registration and consultations with the barangays; one day issuances of civil registry certifications of birth, marriages and death; Legal services and notarization of legal instruments related to supporting documents for delayed registration and acceptance of delayed certification of civil registry records, all declared by the City Council as free of charge or waive civil registry fees and free legal services by the City Legal Office every year as well as providing funds to implement these effectively," the ordinance reads.

The said ordinance will cater residents and non-residents within the territorial jurisdiction of the city for the delayed occurrences with the needed documents required by the law for the month of February of each year.

The Cebu City Civil Registrar Office is in charge of accepting qualified applicants who will be served free for the month of February only.

The approved ordinance has an allocated budget of P150,000 pesos in support of the "Civil Registration Month."

During the regular session on June 1, Japson expressed elation over the passage of her proposed measure.

 "Nagpasalamat ko nga na-approve nani tungod kay last na termino na baya gyud tawn ni nako," Japson said.  (FREEMAN)