Page 34 - 2017 JAN-JUN - KAAKBAY

34 January to June
2017

Philippine Civil Registrar General Meets with Filipino Community, Lawyers.

Philippine National Statistician and Civil Registrar General
Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales met with the Filipino community and
Filipino lawyers in a townhall event at the Kalayaan Hall in New
York City on 08 March 2017.

Dr. Bersales, was currently in New York to attend a series
of seminars at the United Nations, met with the Filipino community
to apprise them of the latest developments regarding the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA). Participants included members of the
community as well as a large number of Filipino lawyers, with some
coming from as far away as Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Bersales (top, center) meets the Fil-Am community members and lawyers
at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center to discuss civil registration
During the lively and extended discussion participants matters. To her right is Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega and to
asked questions her left is Consul Kerwin Orville Tate.
regarding the PSA’s policies and programs on the registration of births and
marriage, adoptions, death, and corrections of entries in a person’s civil registry
records. Dr. Bersales provided replies to many of the questions and promised a
quick follow-through from the PSA’s legal division on the more complex and novel
questions which had no clear cut answers.

After the event, the community members and lawyers thanked Dr.
Bersales for giving them the opportunity to meet and interact with her. Dr.
Bersales also relayed that she would work for closer ties between the PSA and
Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales briefs NY Consulate General the DFA to ensure that speedy resolutions and clarifications would be available
officers and staff on recent civil registration regulations for Filipinos in unusual circumstances who might need quick PSA-related
and developments.
assistance.
New York Consulate, Philippine Labor Officials Create Awareness for
National Reintegration Program for Filipino Workers

In a presentation on the Philippine Reintegration
Program for Filipino overseas workers Filipino domestic
workers’ associations, Damayan, Maharlika and other
Community members joined Labor Assistant Secretary Gloria
Tango, Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Director
Chona Mantilla of the National Reintegration Center for
Overseas Filipino Workers (NRCO), and Welfare Officer
Petrona Bergado in a Town Hall Forum at Kalayaan Hall,
Philippine Center last March 17.

Dr. Rhodora M. Bucoy, Chairperson of the Philippine
Commission on Women and Head of the Philippine delegation
st
for the 61 Session of the Commission on the Status of Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega (5 from right) pose for a photo
th
Women and Commission on Audit Assistant Commissioner opportunity with visiting officials from DOLE, COA, Commission on Women and
Lourdes Castillo, Commission were also present during the NRCO and audience members from Damayan and Maharlika at the end of the forum.
Forum.

Assistant Secretary Tango gave the outline and general policies in the enabling laws - Republic Act 8042 and
Republic Act 10022 - that were adopted in support of the creation of NRCO. Director Mantilla explained the mandate as well
as different projects of NRCO available to Filipino workers and family members during unexpected crisis situations or upon
their return to the country.

Welfare Officer Petrona Bergado gave a presentation emphasizing the benefits of being an OWWA member to
encourage qualified overseas Filipino workers to enroll as OWWA members.

During the Q&A, Maharlika and Damayan members clarified a number of items that include OWWA/ NRCO eligibility
requirements, benefits, and manner of enrolment, revival of OWWA membership for domestic workers, the extent of benefits of
NRCO, and programs that are beneficial to family members and Overseas Filipino workers upon their return to the country.

The National Reintegration Program promotes the delivery of responsive, productive and sustainable reintegration
services to OFW returnees that will enable them to maximize the gains of overseas employment, mitigate the social costs of
migration and cushion the impact of forced repatriation due to unexpected events.