Manila: The likelihood that a person exists without birth, marriage, or death records is 'very slim,' a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) official informed the Senate impeachment court on Monday. This statement was made while emphasizing the possibilities of delayed registration and gaps in the civil registry.
According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande provided this assessment during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte. This was in response to Senate President Win Gatchalian's inquiry about the possibility of a person existing without any record of the three major vital events. Grande highlighted that even if a person lacks a birth certificate, marriage or death usually results in mandatory registration, thereby creating a record.
Grande elaborated that at least one vital event would typically leave a traceable record, which could assist in establishing a person's existence. Senator Gatchalian questioned Grande further on her 25 years of experience at the PSA, asking if it would be challenging for a person to leave no record of birth, marriage, or death. Grande affirmed the difficulty, emphasizing the improbability of such a situation.
The discussion arose as senator-judges examined PSA certifications related to names appearing in acknowledgment receipts linked to confidential fund expenditures by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. Grande noted that PSA certifications, including negative ones, are often requested by courts and government agencies to verify the existence of birth, marriage, or death records. She confirmed that such certifications have been used in court, although she was unaware of any specific rulings declaring a person's non-existence solely based on a negative PSA certification.
Grande underscored the critical nature of birth registration in accessing essential services, such as school enrollment and government benefits. She stressed that without a birth certificate, individuals face significant barriers in accessing these services.
The PSA has not conducted a separate investigation to determine whether individuals linked to names without registry records are actual living persons. Grande clarified that the agency's role is limited to verifying and summarizing civil registry results, with periodic checks for new records submitted for scrutinized names.
