02 February 2024-GUIMARAS. The month-long celebration of the 34th Civil Registration Month (CRM) in Guimaras province officially opened on February 2, 2024, with an information drive/caravan around the province from the town of Buenavista to San Lorenzo, Sibunag, Nueva Valencia, and ended up in Jordan for the Opening Program.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Guimaras, in partnership with the Municipal Civil Registrars (MCRs), took the lead in the info drive/caravan around Guimaras province while playing the CRVS Jingle to stir awareness of the general public on the importance of Civil Registration.

The presentation of Guimaras’ Vital Events 2022 vs 2023 and the Quiz Bee contest for the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) staff highlighted the event.

The Hon. Mayor Cresente P. Chaves, Jr., of Jordan, graced the opening ceremony who took a chance to acknowledge the importance of the work of the Civil Registrars and expressed support for the month-long celebration of the 34th CRM in Guimaras.

Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare also extended her warm appreciation to the Local Chief Executive of Jordan for hosting the opening ceremony, she affirmed that the PSA Guimaras, in close collaboration with the 5 MCRS of the province, working together, the goal of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) decade that by 2024 no one should be left behind unregistered will be successfully attained.

Likewise, Losare declared the official opening of the month-long celebration in Guimaras province and disseminated information on the Vital Statistics of Guimaras, presented the Comparative Vital Statistics of Guimaras for 2023 vs. 2022, which shows that registered vital events in 2023 dropped by -9.89%, wherein births registered dropped by -9.89%, marriages and deaths also decreased by -14.89% and -6.52%, respectively.

The best-performing Local Civil Registry Office (LCROs) and Municipal Civil Registrars (MCRs) were acknowledged and awarded a plaque of award: Nueva Valencia LCRO was awarded the Best LCRO, followed by Jordan LCRO and Buenavista LCRO.

“The LCRO of Sibunag was awarded for their exemplary commitment to timeliness and accuracy in the monthly Decentralized Vital Statistics System (DVSS) reports, while the LCRO of Jordan and Nueva Valencia garnered an award for their 100% coverage on Barangay Civil Registry System (BCRS) implementation and encoding of the survey result,” Losare said.

“LCRO Nueva Valencia was also awarded for registering the highest number of PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP) beneficiaries in the Province of Guimaras, while LCRO Buenavista garnered the award for having the most number of activities conducted related to civil registration,” Losare added.

Various activities lined up for the 34th CRM celebration throughout the month include the following: Quiz Bee contest for LCRO Staff and PSA Staff, Mobile Registration and Gift Giving, Mass Weddings, BCRS Implementation, Tree Planting, Coastal Clean-Up, participation in the Regional CRM Quiz Bee, Binalabay contest for Jr. High School students, CRVS Jingle interpretative dance contest for Sr. High School students, and the Closing Ceremony scheduled on February 29 which is the last working day of the month,” Losare said.

The activities lined up are in consonance with Presidential Proclamation No. 682, signed by the late President Corazon C. Aquino on January 28, 1991, declaring February of every year as Civil Registration Month.

“This year’s celebration carries the theme “CRVS: the Future of Seamless Services,” Losare said.