Cotabato City (September 16, 2020)—Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Abuhuraira A. Udasan emphasized the significance of the issuance of birth certificates for newly born children in Islam.
During the launching of the campaign “So Ngala Ko, Kawagib Ko” (My Name, My Right) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Mufti Udasan underscored the Islamic guidelines with regard to birth registration.
“Parents have to remember the importance of instant issuance of birth certificates for newly born children. In fact, Islam views it as direly needed required for varied purposes and occasions,” Udasan said.
The following are some of the Islamic guidelines related to birth registration mentioned by Mufti Udasan:
1. Affirmation of the precise date of birth of the child which will be required for the preservation of his/her true lineage and ancestry from both parents. This is to be processed by proper certification and documentation of the birth of the child.
2. Upon the child’s growth to the age of enrolment to educational institutions from primary up to university level, authentic birth certificate is absolutely required for the child’s official registration.
3. On travelling abroad for the pursuance of higher education and other circumstantial purposes birth certificate to be availed for the application of passport, health certificated and other legal documents.
4. On entering into a contract such as commercial transactions and other social dealings. According to the law of inheritance authentic documents are direly needed in asserting and attesting the heir’s right to inherit from the wealth of the parents from other members of the family circle.
To support and strengthen this campaign, the Bangsamoro Government’s Regional Darul Ifta (RDI) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-BARMM), in partnership with the Islamic Relief Philippines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among three (3) Municipalities of Maguindanao.
The municapilities include Datu Piang, Datu Hoffer and Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao Province.
Due to decades of struggles of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindanao, securing of identification and registration of birth certificate was absent in those mentioned municipalities.
The said MoU aims to improve human security and stability, and access to basic services through the said activity.
The birth registration, being a fundamental right, ensures that a person’s right are upheld—a foundation for achieving sustained human and economic development.
PSA-BARMM Director Razulden Mangelen said that based on United Nations (UN) Article 7., “a child shall be registered immediately after the birth, and shall have the right to have a name, the right to acquire a nationality, as far as possible.”
Meanwhile, Sittie Najidah Montud, Officer-in-Charge Country Director said, “the Islamic Relief of the Philippines would facilitate the registration of 2,000 community residents across the project areas with the respective office of the Municipal Registrar through the support of PSA-BARMM.”
“My name, My right” is anchored to social justice, a core value of Islamic Relief as one of its contents. (Bureau of Public Information)
