Batac city: The city government, in partnership with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), has started implementing the digitalization of civil registration processes effective this month. "This makes Batac the first local government unit (LGU) in the province of Ilocos Norte to modernize its civil registration services through the so-called Electric Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (eCVRS) system," Renz Sanchez, officer-in-charge and chief statistical specialist of PSA Ilocos Norte, said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the eCRVS system is a key digital initiative that streamlines the registration of vital events such as births, marriages, and deaths. It enhances electronic registration and transmission of civil registry documents, increasing efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness, and further fosters better coordination between health facilities and civil registry offices for faster services.

As part of the pilot program, the privately owned Gaoat Hospital conducted its first live eCVRS implementation on Dec. 18, followed by the state-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center on Dec. 19. During the go-live, transactions validated system functionality, culminating in the first client's birth registration, marking the system's readiness for real-time electronic civil registration services in the city.

"This marks a significant step toward the full digitalization of civil registration processes in the city," said Batac City Mayor Mark Christian Chua, who expressed support for the continued rollout of the program with partner hospitals. Through the pilot program, the PSO and the city government committed to enhancing digital initiatives to deliver efficient, transparent, and citizen-focused public service.

It aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s agenda to modernize the civil registration system by reforming Republic Act 3753 or the Philippine Civil Registry Act of 1930.