Deputy National Statistician Clemente S. Manaog leads the launch of the CRS outlet on February 26 in Marawi City, emphasizing the importance of making civil registry documents more accessible, affordable, and reliable for residents of Lanao del Sur and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (Photo: ZRD/PIA-10)
MindanaoToday.com | PSA’s new CRS outlet in Marawi enhances access to civil registry documents in Lanao Sur
By: Apipa P. Bagumbaran
MARAWI CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) launched a new Civil Registry System (CRS) outlet in Marawi City, aimed at improving access to essential civil registry documents for residents of Lanao del Sur and nearby towns within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Deputy National Statistician Clemente S. Manaog led the go-live ceremony at the PSA Lanao del Sur Provincial Office on February 26. He highlighted the importance of the new CRS outlet in meeting the growing demand for easier access to civil registry documents, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, which are crucial for various personal and government-related transactions.
“We responded to that need of our kababayans dito sa Lanao del Sur, sa Marawi, specifically in BARMM – the need for documentation. Because sa ngayon hindi tayo pwedeng gumalaw na wala tayong documentation. Kaya sabi natin, dapat kung kukuha ang ating mga kababayan ng kanilang dokumento para gamitin sa kanilang transaksyon, gawin natin itong mas madali at mas mura, pero yung integridad o kredibilidad ng dokumento ay totoo at maaasahan,” he said.
(We responded to the need of our fellow citizens here in Lanao del Sur, in Marawi, specifically in BARMM – the need for documentation. Currently, documentation is essential for moving forward. So, we resolved that citizens should have easy and more affordable access to vital documents while ensuring their authenticity, integrity, and credibility.)
Manaog reflected on the evolution of the civil registry process, noting that before 2000 when PSA was still the National Statistics Office (NSO), requests were processed manually using physical folders. Citizens had to travel to Manila to access essential documents, which was costly and time-consuming, especially for those in remote areas.
He also emphasized the advancements by PSA’s digitization project, which has transformed the agency from handling paper-based data to managing 197 million digital records, including birth, marriage, and death certificates. These records are now securely stored and accessible through a centralized digital system, allowing citizens across the country—and even overseas—to request and receive their civil registry documents without traveling to the PSA main office in Manila.
“Kung ang iyong record ay nadigitalize namin, inilagay namin ito sa aming database, pwede ka nang magrequest dito sa Marawi City. Ang dokumentong iyon ay tatanggapin kahit saan mo ito gamitin. Kasi ano ang makukuha mo sa Manila or sa ibang outlet, yun din ang makukuha mo dito sa Marawi City. Ganyan kahalaga dahil ang layunin natin ay gawing madali at ma-ilapit ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa ating mga kababayan,” Manaog said.
(If your record has been digitized and added to our database, you can now request it here in Marawi City. That document will be accepted wherever you use it. What you receive here in Marawi City is the same as what you would get in Manila or any other outlet. This highlights its importance, as our goal is to make government services easier and more accessible to citizens.)
“Ang ipinangako ng PSA at Unisys ay kapag nakapagbayad ka, makukuha mo ang dokumento sa loob ng isang oras,” he added.
(PSA and Unisys have promised that once payment is made, you will receive your document within an hour.)
According to Manaog, their goal is to open 80 CRS outlets nationwide, with five outlets planned for BARMM. Three of these outlets are already operational in Cotabato City, Tawi-Tawi, and Marawi City, with new outlets set to open in Sulu and Basilan later this year.
Nor-ain M. Magadapa from Ditsaan Ramain shared her positive experience with the CRS outlet in Marawi. While in Iligan City for an appointment, she encountered document issues and was advised to visit the Marawi CRS outlet for assistance.
“Alhamdulillah, kasi yung experience ko dito sa Marawi CRS outlet ay smooth naman at lahat ng mga staff dito ay approachable and kind,” she expressed.
(Praise be to God because my experience here at the Marawi CRS outlet was smooth, with all the staff being approachable and kind.)
Magadapa encourages fellow residents of Lanao del Sur who need their civil registry documents to visit the CRS outlet in Marawi, situated across Lanao del Sur Schools Division 1 in Brgy Datu Saber. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
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