TO ENSURE that no Ilonggo is left undocumented, the Iloilo City Government, through the City Civil Registry Office (CCRO), is aggressively scaling up its Mobile Registration initiative, bringing essential civil registry services straight to the barangays.The mobile caravan actively reaches out residents who are unable to personally visit City Hall, specifically targeting the elderly, bedridden individuals, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and even the general public who hadn’t had the time.It is an adoption and expansion of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP).“Ang goal gid sang syudad, ni Mayor Raisa Treñas and CCRO head Cherie Ampig, nga tanan nga Ilonggos marehistro. Amo na nga ginpahapos, nangbalay-balay kami, nagkadto sa kabaranggayan. Gina-encourage gid ang tanan nga i-avail nyo ini. It’s available for everybody.
All you need to do is coordinate with our office sa schedule and comply with the minimum requirements,” said Marivel Gargalicana, Registration Officer IV.To ease the financial burden on residents, the City Government has waived key registration fees during the BRAP implementation, including a Late Registration Fee of P200, Security Paper (SECPA) Fee of P155, and Notary Public Fees.Except for requests for a Certified True Copy (CTC), all major civil registry services are offered absolutely free of charge. Residents can avail themselves of Free Birth Registration, Legitimation, Acknowledgment, Supplemental Report, and Correction of Entries.To provide a more comprehensive public service, the CCRO has also partnered with the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), allowing residents to process their National ID applications on-site.“So far, it has been very successful. Very beneficial gid sa ila. Most of the barangays nga ginkadtuan namon, very thankful sila.
Kadamo sang cases nga, otherwise kon wala kami ga amo sini, indi ma-cater,” Gargalicana said.The mobile registration caravan has already visited 68 barangays, serving 1,507 clients, in 2025 alone. This 2026, an additional 16 barangays were covered by the CCRO from January to May, benefiting 977 more Ilonggos. Operations have successfully cleared all barangays under the districts of Lapuz, La Paz, Arevalo, and the City Proper.“Kadamo sang naga-request nga balikan namon ila barangay. Pero gusto namon nga maubos anay tanan before kami magbalik,” she added.
The mobile registry is coupled with an aggressive information drive, utilizing Information, Education, and Communication materials to educate the public on the long-term importance of legal identification.“One is identity. Invisible ikaw sa gobyerno if you don’t have a birth certificate. Tanan nga privileges and benefits nga pwede mahatag sa isa ka tawo indi ka maka-avail -- education, marriage, employment, travel, inheritance, medical benefits. From the beginning up to the end of your life, even sa pagbilin sa mga himata mo, amo na sya ka importante ang aton civil documents especially the birth certificate,” Gargalicana said.The Iloilo City Government urged remaining barangay councils and residents to coordinate with the CCRO to schedule mobile registration tracks in their respective areas. (PR)