Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte - A hundred children in the coastal town of Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, were issued free certificates of live birth by the Ministry of Social Services and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MSSD-BARMM). The initiative, announced by MSSD-BARMM Minister Raissa Jajurie on Friday, is part of the celebration of Children's Month this November.
According to Philippines News Agency, the month-long free live birth registration initiative underscores the importance of having a legal identity for Filipino children.
Jajurie highlighted that possessing a birth certificate is a fundamental right and a necessity for accessing various government services, including health, education, and social programs. The distribution of birth certificates coincided with a joint outreach program by various BARMM ministries, where beneficiaries also received school supplies, water tumblers, umbrellas, and meals. The importance of birth registration was emphasized to the children's parents, many of whom belong to Indigenous Peoples groups. The minister also announced plans for a series of free birth registrations across various provinces in the region, including Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Cotabato City, and the BARMM Special Geographic Area in North Cotabato. This year's celebration is themed 'Isulong Kalinga, Kalusugan, at Karapatan ng Batang Bangsamoro.'