Part of this year’s Children’s Month celebration in the Bangsamoro region was the distribution of free birth certificates and outreach program for the children in Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, which was spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Services and Development. (Hamdan Badrudin/BIO)
DATU BLAH SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte — A total of 100 children in Barangay Pura of this town received their free birth certificates as part of this year’s Children’s Month celebration in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The celebration carries the theme: “Isulong Kalinga, Kalusugan, at Karapatan ng Batang Bangsamoro.”
Distribution of the birth certificates was held during the outreach program spearheaded on Nov. 7 by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) in partnership with the Bangsamoro Youth Commission, Bangsamoro Women Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the local government unit of Datu Blah Sinsuat.
MSSD Minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie emphasized that among the basic rights of children is to have their ‘own identity’ through birth certificates.
“Kasama po sa karapatan ng mga bata ay magkaroon ng identity at kasama sa pagpapatibay ng kanilang identity ay ang magkaroon ng birth certificates,” Jajurie said.
A birth certificate is useful in availing any of the regional and national government services such as in health, education, and social programs.
Jajurie said that the 100 children are just initial of the 300 total beneficiaries of the free birth registration.
Aside from the certificates, the children also received school bags and supplies, water tumblers, umbrellas, and meals.
Similar outreach programs will also be conducted in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Cotabato City, and BARMM Special Geographic Area these coming days. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
