The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has formally adopted the recommendations of Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) in its guidelines for securing a Certificate of Foundling and Certification of Registration of Authority to Solemnize Marriage (CRASM).
The ARTA made the announcement after holding three inter-agency meetings with the PSA and orphanage representatives and religious sects to assist in streamlining its processes and requirements.
ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica, in a statement early this week, welcomed PSA's move and vowed to continuously work with the agency to ensure that its processes and requirements are streamlined.
"We strongly believe that these revised guidelines will help the Filipino public conduct smoother, faster, and more efficient transactions with their government," he said.
The PSA signed its Memorandum Circular No. 2021-24 on the Guidelines in the Registration of the Certificate of Live Birth of Persons with No Known Parent/s and the Amended Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2021 on the 2021 Implementing Rules and Regulations Governing the Registration of Authority to Solemnize Marriages on December 14, 2021
According to ARTA, the newly signed issuances effectively eased the process and requirements for the registration of foundling and application for CRASM.
Among the changes made in the guidelines for the registration of foundling include the newly revised form for the Certificate of Foundling, renamed as the Certificate of Live Birth which is found to be less discriminatory.
The PSA also scrapped the requirements of the affidavit of the finder stating the facts and circumstances surrounding the child and the certification of the barangay captain or police authority regarding the report made by the finder.
Instead, those securing the said certificate will only be required to submit four copies of the Certificate of Live Birth, the original or certified true copy of the social case study report, and the certificate declaring a child legally available for adoption (CDCLAA) in case the person with no known parents is subject for adoption.
Meanwhile, ARTA said the PSA also weeded out the "burdensome" requirements in securing a CRASM, particularly the required list of 200 bonafide active members with their complete addresses and signatures.
The required sworn statement containing the brief history of the religion or religious sect and the certified Certificate of Registration, Articles of Incorporations and by-laws, and updated General Information Sheet issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were also removed from the list of requirements.