Centenarian dies a day before receiving birth certificate

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A centenarian from Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental died the night before the actual turnover of her birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier this month.

Eufronia Pitong Fernandez, a resident of Hacienda Ruiz, Purok 12, Barangay Libacao, celebrated her 103rd birthday on August 5, and passed away around 7 p.m. on August 9, according to a press release from PSA-Negros Occidental.

She was set to become the province’s oldest beneficiary of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP).

PSA Chief Statistical Specialist Luis Gonzales, along with the City Civil Registry Office (CCRO) awarded Fernandez’s authenticated PSA-issued birth certificate in official security paper to her children at their residence on August 10.

It was on July 18 when staff from the CCRO visited Fernandez, after one of her children sought assistance from the CCRO’s mobile registration, for her to get a birth certificate.

The PSA continues to hold the conduct of mobile registration of birth certificates in various barangays in the city.

Meanwhile, 101-year-old Enriquita Quillano Olitan also received her PSA-issued birth certificate at her residence in Purok Narra 1, Barangay Tampalon, Kabankalan City, on July 13.