By Alice E. Nicart

Borongan, Eastern Samar (31 October) -- As part of the celebration of the 17th year of he National Statistics Office (NSO), October marked an intensified campaign on birth registration.

This, in an attempt to address the common problem in the rural barangays on the relatively low rate of registered children at birth.

Thus, NSO conducted a series of symposia in the various campuses of the Eastern Samar State University for the venue, Salcedo, Maydolong and Can-avid. Here, NSO personnel focused on the importance of birth registration as a required data to effect government services.

In a radio interview with PIA over Radyo ng Bayan DYES, Rolly Avila, NSO senior staff revealed that in truth several barangay folks have very little knowledge on the importance of birth registration; some would opt to register their children shortly before they enter Grade I; little do they know that the longer they wait, the bigger the cost of registration becomes. However, birth registration done within 30 days after birth is entirely free.

Avila added that several parents are still reluctant to register their children because what still prevails in their memory was the previous ruling that "a child born to unwed parents shall not be registered". The young officer however clarified that it is no longer true today, because a father of a new born can just affix his signature at the back of the registration form in conforme of his fatherhood.

However, should a (man) disowns a baby, the innocent can take her mother's family name or even his grandpa's name. As may be recalled, Avila stressed, that the international document on the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), as being supported by UNICEF, clearly states that no matter what, a child deserves the right to be born, to have a name and nationality, thus, no circumstance in his outside world, whatsoever must deprive him of this basic right. Besides, this is in consonance with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's mandate, among others, on "responsible parenthood" in support to the reproductive health program.

Other NSO activities included Labor Force Survey (LFS) and Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF). Asked if the latter would not in any way jeopardize the security of the families of OFWs, Leonard Raniola, another NSO staff answered in the negative because according to him all answers are held very much confidential. Suzanne Amosco, also an NSO staff stressed that the process was done in order to determine how much does the region contribute to the country's earnings from OFW's remittances.