The Philippine Statistics Authority XII, under its OIC-Regional Director Engr. Belinda R. Penuela, in partnership with its Provincial Offices, the Local Civil Registrars and Regional Line Agencies in the region, spearheaded the conduct of the Opening Ceremony for the month-long celebration of the Civil Registration Month (CRM) in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region. The annual observance is pursuant to Proclamation No. 682 “Declaring the Month of February of Every Year as Civil Registration Month” dated January 28, 1991 and signed by then Pres. Corazon C. Aquino, and by virtue of PSA Office Memorandum No. 2020-01 enjoining participation in the observance of the 2020 the Civil Registration Month.

Now on its 30^th year and bearing the theme “Shaping Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) by Embracing New Trends in the 4^th Industrial Revolution”, the kick-off activity for the observance of the 2020 CRM in the region included a motorcade, an opening program, information dissemination and CR Quiz last January 31, 2020.

The observance of CRM aims to remind the citizenry of their duty to register acts and events concerning status of persons as well as enhance nationwide awareness and appreciation of the legal, administrative and statistical values of civil registry documents such as births, deaths and marriage certificates.

About 49 vehicles from the LGUs, specially from the Local Civil Registrars Offices and from various government agencies in the region participated in the motorcade. Starting from the Koronadal City Hall, the procession of motor vehicles traversed Koronadal City’s major thoroughfares, until it reached Cinco Niñas for the venue of the opening program. Aside from the PSA and its Provincial Offices, the RLAs were DBM, PHIC, DOST, DENR, DOT, DILG, DOLE, DOH. Overall, there were 197 participants who attended the Opening Program. OIC-Regional Director Penuela in her welcome remarks expressed her thanks for the full support of the agencies who participated in the said activity.

Atty. Maqtahar L. Manulon, CESO V , OIC-Deputy National Statistician, special guest speaker, emphasized and gave updates on Civil Registration matters. The Municipal Civil Registrar highly appreciated the good news that they heard from OIC-DNS Manulon pertaining to the decentralization of annotation of Civil Registry documents. He also emphasized the need to double efforts to address concerns on death registration. On the other hand, Hon. Eliordo U. Ogena, City Mayor of Koronadal, highlighted the importance of statistics to policy makers. He assured the agency of his support to all the plans and program of the PSA.

As update on CRVS Decade, OIC-RD Penuela presented the CRVS Decade in the Philippines: The First Half of the Decade followed by the presentation of Em L. Gayosa, Statistical Specialist II, regarding the Latest Update on Analysis of Causes of Nation Death for Action (ANACONDA).

The third part of the activity was CR Quiz which was participated by 20 C/MCRs Staff. The representative from CCR Gensan, Ms. Maria Christy Gallano was declared as First Placer, followed by Ms. Vivian O. Gacambo of MCR Tupi (Second Placer), with Vilma T. Castor of CCR-Tacurong, Elizabeth G. Español of MCR Tampakan and Geraldine M. Boncavil of CCR Koronadal as Third Placers.