PSA Negros Occidental forms civil registration inter-agency committee

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Negros Occidental Provincial Statistical Office formally established the Provincial Inter-Agency Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (PIACCRVS) for Negros Occidental during a convening held on February 26, 2026, in Bacolod City.

The PIACCRVS is a collaborative body designed to oversee and improve the implementation of civil registration laws and the generation of vital statistics at the provincial level. Its establishment is expected to streamline coordination between agencies, ensuring that every life event in Negros Occidental is accurately recorded to protect the legal rights of citizens and provide the government with reliable data for social services.

The convening served as a strategic forum for key stakeholders to align on national mandates and local implementation. The multisectoral effort brought together the PSA Negros Occidental PSO, the Provincial Health Office, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Negros Occidental.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Visayas Regional Office.

The collaboration was further strengthened by the participation of the Provincial Association of Civil Registrars in Negros Occidental (PACRINO), Inc., the Philippine Information Agency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Population and Development Office.

Supervising Statistical Specialist Diesah S. Biaoco spearheaded several critical sessions during the convening, including the briefing on the 2015–2024 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Decade, which has been extended to 2030, and the formal motion to establish the PIACCRVS in the province.

Registration Officer I Annie M. Libo-on presented the 2023–2028 Philippine CRVS Strategic Plan, which outlined the long-term vision for a more inclusive and digitalized registration system.

Attendees were also presented the results of the 2024 Census of the Population to provide a current snapshot of the provincial demographic landscape. Further updates were provided on the progress of the National ID system and the Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP), an initiative aimed at ensuring even the most marginalized residents are officially registered.

The event also coincided with the 36th Civil Registration Month, featuring a summary of activities and the presentation of formal agreements that signal a unified front among the provincial agencies.

The CRVS system serves as the foundation for ensuring that births, marriages, deaths, and other vital events are systematically documented, supporting government planning, social protection programs, and the legal identity of every Filipino. The extension of the CRVS Decade to 2030 aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the target of providing legal identity for all, including birth registration.