Upland farming is the main livelihood for residents located away from the town proper of Rizal. One such farmer is Elmita Silnay, a Pala’wan, who is occupied with meeting their daily needs and has not had the opportunity to consider obtaining a birth certificate for herself.
Years have passed, and she is still unsure of her exact age. Her lack of reading abilities is cited as a barrier to obtaining a birth certificate, and she has yet to recognize the significance of having one for herself.
“Hindi nakakakuha kasi hindi rin namin alam. Anuhin namin ang birth certificate kung hindi ka rin marunong magbasa,” she said.
Silnay is among the unregistered indigenous peoples whom the Municipal Registrar Office of Rizal aims to register, as they believe it will aid in establishing their identities. Civil Registrar Officer Lolita Prado highlighted one of the challenges they face during registration—the lack of documentary evidence to substantiate their identities in birth certificates.
Based on Prado’s estimates, approximately 13,000 to 15,000 unregistered IPs have been documented since the 2010 survey, with Rizal having completed half of the registrations. Currently, six out of 11 barangays have been registered, with the goal of completing the remaining by 2027.
“Ang pagri-rehistro ay meron kang dalawang documentary evidence na tama, doon kami nahirapan sa kanila kasi wala talaga kaming mahagilap sa kanila na tamang dokumento. Iba-iba ang spelling ng pangalan, tinutulungan din namin sila ayusin pero hindi madali,” she said.
Background of civil registration
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, locals did not incorporate surnames into their names. The indigenous peoples (IPs) relied on estimating their ages based on the number of agricultural seasons they experience. If they opted for baptism by priests, their births would be recorded through baptismal records, as explained by History Professor Michael Angelo Doblado from Palawan State University.
Civil registration began during the American Occupation and has since undergone continuous adaptation. The limited interactions between IPs and the government in the past led to a disregard for civil registration.
However, Doblado emphasized that the current perceived advantages of having civil registration have encouraged IPs to prioritize getting their records registered.
“Nandoon din ang realidad na kung gusto nila makakuha ng serbisyo ng pamahalaan, kinakailangan na may records sila. Kaya yong iba ay napipilitan o nako-convince na magkaroon ng birth certificate. Kaya kadalasan sila ay late registration,” he said.
Municipal efforts
Prado is no stranger to the attitude of IPs when it comes to registration. Based on her extensive experience, their aloofness towards the program can be attributed to their customs. Additionally, she acknowledged that they often prioritize their livelihoods.
To simplify the process, the municipality introduced the Civil Registration System for Indigenous Peoples (CRISP) Program in 2017. The program focuses on registering births, marriages, and deaths within the indigenous community.
Members of the community are employed as agents in the registration process. These agents also assist in estimating the ages of children, particularly newborns.
“Ang program na ito ay na-launch namin para ang mismong mag-i-interview sa kanila ay mismong miyembro ng community. Bibigyan sila ng local government ng honorarium, marunong sila magbasa at magsulat. Hindi lang sila umaalalay, sila mismo ang nag-i-interview,” she said.
She added that the agents undergo training to ensure efficient processing of registrations and to patiently address queries. This approach aims to prevent instances where IPs leave the registration site without completing the process.
The household setup further poses challenges in securely storing the documents issued by the office. There is a risk of documents getting wet due to rain or getting lost during transfers between locations.
“Minsan papalit-papalit ng pangalan. May tradisyon ata sila na kapag nagkakasakit ay papalitan ang pangalan kasi parang malas ang pangalan. Kaya minsan ang dokumento kahit yari na ay hindi mo na mahanap,” she said.
In addition to the challenges faced in registering IPs, the municipal registrar also grapples with the year of the town’s establishment. Rizal was established on April 14, 1983, following its separation from its mother municipality in Quezon. Consequently, only birth records initiated from 1983 onwards are registered under Rizal.
For birth records prior to that year, registration should be facilitated by Quezon and assessed by Rizal. The processing of a birth certificate requires the request of a negative certificate beforehand.
“Kailangan muna magkaroon ng negative certificate, iri-request at hindi libre. Ang matatanda ang halos walang birth certificate, nahihirapan sila,” she said.
Gradual realization of IPs
Despite not having obtained her own birth certificate, Silnay acknowledges that having one for her two children would greatly benefit their educational and employment prospects. In order to register her children, she sought the assistance of her uncle, who holds a position as a chieftain within the community.
“Para sana makatrabaho na magaan kung halimbawa sa abroad. Para wag na sana matulad sa amin na mahirapan, kahit bata pa may asawa na,” she said.
Silnay remains optimistic about her children’s future and holds a strong desire for them to complete their studies successfully. Understanding the significance of education, she believes it will play a crucial role in shaping their lives.
According to Doblado, education not only contributes to the strengthening of civil registration but also aids in documenting individuals, particularly those from indigenous communities.
Over time, as IPs witness the advantages that come with official registration and documentation, such as access to social services, they will gradually become convinced of its importance.
“Hangga’t hindi nila lubusan nauunawaan ang advantages na meron tayong birth certificate o naka-register tayo sa ating civil registry sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon, mananatili yong tinatawag na undocumented natin na mga kababayan,” Doblado said.
While the municipal registry office strives to introduce various innovations aimed at making civil registration more accessible and convenient for the local population, Prado emphasizes the crucial role of IP leaders in enlightening their fellow IPs.
She said the significance of civil registration extends beyond individual identity. She asserts that it also contributes to the development of comprehensive data, which in turn promotes good governance within the community.
