MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 19 (PIA) -- A law allowing for easier birth registration has been passed in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman signed into law last week the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy (MMA) Act 293 otherwise known as the “Free Birth Registration Act of ARMM.”
The new law enhances the usual process of birth registration in the region, including late registrations, removing the accompanying fees that often discourage parents from securing birth certificates for their child.
It also calls for the promotion of the importance of registering births among ARMM residents.
The law was authored by Assemblywoman Rahima Datumanong Alba of the 2nd district of Maguindanao, who said MMA Act 293 is part of the commitment of the ARMM government to the country’s millennium development goals (MDG).
“We want this law to be instrumental in securing some of the principal rights of every child in the ARMM,” she said.
It is also expected to help address problems that resulted from lack of authentic birth certificates among a considerable number of residents in the ARMM to allow the regional government to get a good evaluation of its population.
Governor Hataman said in the past, a previous policy allowed a number of employees in the regional government who are believed to have reached or are beyond retirement age to continue in the service.
“We hope the law will address problems like this in the coming years,” he said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the United Nations Higher Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) supports the free birth registration in the region.
Trevor Clark, chief of Unicef’s Cotabato City Field Office, said they have provided and will continue to provide technical assistance to the ARMM government on the free birth registration.
He said they will support the agenda being championed by the ARMM government that gives more rights to children.
No comments