PSA now issues birth certificates to foundlings

MANILA, Philippines — Abandoned children or foundlings can now be issued with birth certificates by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In a text message on Wednesday, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said that previously, the PSA released a so-called “certificate of foundling” to registrants with unknown parents.

As of December 2021, the PSA’s database recorded 6,580 certificates of foundling, Mapa said.

But under a memorandum circular issued by the PSA last December, a foundling can now be registered and issued with a certificate of live birth (COLB).

Mapa said all foundlings can have COLBs, as long as his or her registration will be facilitated by an accredited social worker.

In a Jan. 11 statement, the PSA said its new memo circular formed part of its campaign to “strengthen the system of birth registration in the country and to protect and uphold the rights of persons whose parentage or facts of birth are unknown against undue discrimination.”

In this regard, Mapa said the PSA revised the application form “to avoid social stigma” on foundlings.

The “clear and simple” form to be filled up to register foundlings was called by the PSA as COLB OCRG Form 101, Mapa said. Regular births were currently registered using COLB Municipal Form 102, he noted.

Foundlings’ COLB included entries on approximate date of birth as well as citizenship, which Mapa said will be essential when applying for a passport and other transactions with the government and private entities.

“Considering that COLBs are now being issued to persons with no known parents, thousands of children will have equal access to all opportunities and services especially in enrolling for school admission, application for passport, applying for jobs, among others,” the PSA said.

The PSA memorandum also clarified that “the certification declaring a child legally available for adoption (CDCLAA) is only required in the registration of the COLB of a person with no known parents if the latter is subject for adoption.”

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