Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian during a hearing in the Senate. Senate PRIB file photo
MANILA, Philippines – There is a need to refine the country’s birth certificate processes and system, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pressed on Wednesday, following the controversies that unfolded surrounding Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s birth document.
“I think ang titingnan namin ngayon is how to reform the birth certificate process and system in our country. Masyadong naaabuso at masyadong madali [ang pagkuha],” said Gatchalian in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
(I think what we are looking for right now is how to reform the birth certificate process and system in our country. It’s getting abused too much and the process is too easy.)
According to Gatchalian, there is a need to “balance” the procedure to the point that it doesn’t get too hard to obtain a birth certificate, but also not too easy that it often gets abused.
Gatchalian made the remark after the Senate panel on women subjected Guo’s birth certificate to scrutiny. Earlier, senators flagged “irregularities” found on the document, including the marital status of her parents as indicated.
READ: Guo’s purported ‘mother’ may not exist at all, says PSA official
But this is not an isolated case, said Gatchalian.
“This is not the first case, merong 67 cases or 60 plus sa Philippine Statistics Authority kung saan ang mga birth certificate puro peke at naibigay sa mga foreigners. So hindi ito isolated cases, naaabuso talaga ang pagkuha ng birth certificate,” he said.
(This is not the first case, there are 67 cases of 60 plus [identified by the] Philippine Statistics Authority where fake birth certificates were given to foreigners. So this is not an isolated case; the process of acquiring birth certificates is being abused.)
For Gatchalian, what’s alarming is that with the use of a birth certificate, a certain individual may run for government office.
“Nanalo kang mayor, congressman, pwedeng senator — even Presidente. Tapos later on matutuklasan na yung birth certificate mo pala ay peke o defective. So dapat i-reform ang pagkuha ng birth certificate at yung process ng birth certificate system natin,” he pointed out.
READ: Over 300 fake birth certificates used to apply for PH passport
(You’ve won as a mayor, congressman, maybe as senator — even President. And then later on it will be discovered that your birth certificate is fake or defective. So the process of acquiring birth certificates and our birth certificate system needs to be reformed.)
During the deliberations of the national budget bill in 2023, Senator Sonny Angara disclosed that more than 300 fake birth certificates linked to foreigners and Filipinos alike were used for Philippine passport applications in 2023.