BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is all set for the simultaneous free birth registration campaign to benefit the country’s “poorest of the poor” communities here and in 96 other cities and towns nationwide.

Handing down free birth registration to conditional cash transfer grantees of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for the whole SEEmonth of May hopes to ensure that more than 2 million beneficiaries meet the requirements in the government’s centerpiece poverty reduction program and correctly update the status of beneficiaries.

National Statistics Office-Cordillera (NSO-CAR) Director Olivia Gulla cited poverty as one of the reasons why a huge number of Filipinos still have not been registered for their birth.

The NSO-CAR, a partner agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the implementation of the 4Ps program, discovered that many Filipinos in the poorest communities in the country cannot afford the fees paid for registering a newborn.

DILG-Cordillera Representative Ofelia Claudio and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Technical Management Officer Recto Alawas said there are so many problems that go with unregistered babies.

As a requirement in the CCT program, explained DSWD director Leonardo Reynoso, the benefit of the certified birth registration extends even when beneficiaries’ children go to school.

Enrollment in the elementary program is one of the primary conditions in the 4Ps. Around 24,565 families, majority are indigenous peoples, are enjoying the CCT program in the Cordillera.