09 June 2025, Cotabato City — PSA BARMM Mobile Registration Drive successfully served a total of 568 beneficiaries in Cotabato City. The registrants were residents of Barangays Mother Tamontaka, Tamontaka 3, and Tamontaka 4, with the activity conducted from May 29 to 30, 2025. This was through the concerted effort to provide legal identity and birth documentation to marginalized populations, in strong collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Community and Family Services International (CFSI), , Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Local Government Unit of Cotabato City,  Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and with the support of the Government of Japan in line with its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9 — “legal identity for all, including birth registration.”

Engr. Akan G. Tula, OIC-Regional Director of PSA-BARMM, and Mr. Delson A. Yusop, Registration Officer IV, both of whom played key roles in ensuring the successful conduct of the operation, where Engr. Tula emphasized in his message that, “This project is an essential step toward ensuring the dignity and rights of every individual through legal identity. By bringing registration services directly to the community, we make sure no one is left out.”

The said activity was also graced by the First Secretary Asuka Ishikaza of the Embassy of Japan, who expressed her sincere appreciation for the initiative and emphasized Japan’s support for inclusive civil registration efforts.

This initiative supports the Philippines’ National Action Plan to End Statelessness and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). Over the next 30 months, the program aims to reach 50 municipalities across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Key focus areas include expanding mobile registration services, building capacity among local stakeholders, supporting the digitalization of Local Civil Registrars, and implementing community-based livelihood projects.

Approved for Release:

ENGR. AKAN G TULA
OIC-Regional Director

NDM/SHDM/MSE