The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) urged residents of Negros Occidental to join the agency in a series of educational activities and community outreach programs in line with the observance of the 35th Civil Registration Month this February.
“These are aimed to raise awareness about the significance of civil registration. There are workshops, information dissemination and other initiatives to encourage citizens to register vital events timely,” PSA-Negros Island Region interim regional director and concurrent chief statistical specialist John Campomanes said in a statement.
The month-long observance will kick off with an opening ceremony on Friday, February 7 and culminate in a closing program on February 26, both at a mall in Bacolod.
Also slated are the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics 101 Seminar for School Registrars on February 19 and the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Quiz Bee for Local Civil Registrars and PSA Personnel on February 21.
Other activities include the ePoster-Making Contest for Junior High School and Senior High School students and an Infographics Contest for Local Civil Registry Office personnel.
Meanwhile, the PSA reported that registered marriages in Negros Occidental, including this highly-urbanized city, increased by 0.93 percent, while live births dropped by 8.3 percent in 2023 compared to the 2022 registration.
The data are based on the marriages and live births registered at the Office of the City/Municipal Registrars derived from the certificates submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar General.
A total of 13,712 couples got married in 2023, of which 10,517 were from the 12 component cities and 19 municipalities in Negros Occidental, while 3,195 were from Bacolod City.
The number is higher by 172 compared to the 13,585 registered marriages in 2022.
Data further showed there were only 33,476 registered live births in 2023, lower than the 36,518 babies born in 2022.
These include 26,710 babies born across the 31 localities in Negros Occidental and 6,766 others in Bacolod City.
On the other hand, a total of 23,584 deaths were recorded in the province and Bacolod City in 2023. (PNA)