SPECIAL RELEASE

Vital Statistics in Oriental Mindoro - First Quarter 2024 (Preliminary Results)

Number of registered births in Oriental Mindoro decreases in the First Quarter 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, there were 2,665 live births registered in the province of Oriental Mindoro. This figure exhibited decreased of 15.29 percent compared to the first quarter of 2023 with 3,146 live births. On the first quarter of 2024, the month of January had the highest registered births with 1,000 births or 37.5 percent of the total registered births in the first quarter. Followed by the month of March with 835 registered live births or 31.3 percent of the total registered births in the first quarter.

Same trend was observed, when the first quarter of 2024 was compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. There was a decreased of 915 live births equivalent to 25.6 percent decline. Fourth quarter of 2023 registered 3,580 births, wherein the month of October registered the highest births with 1,216 or 34.0 percent of the total births in the fourth quarter. Followed by the month of November with 1,204 live births or 33.6 percent of the total births in the fourth quarter.

Registered marriages in the first quarter 2024 decreased compared to previous year of same quarter

The number of registered marriages in the first quarter of 2024 in the province of Oriental Mindoro reached 892, lower by 21.6 percent than the total registered marriages of 1,138 in the same quarter of 2023. Moreover, the month of February had the highest registration with 328 marriages or 36.8 percent of the total marriages in the first quarter, followed by the month of March with 304 marriages.

On the other hand, there was an increase in the number of registered marriages if the first quarter 2024 will be compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, equivalent to 18.9 percent.

Number of registered deaths increases in the first quarter of 2024

Registered deaths in the first quarter of 2024 in the Oriental Mindoro reached 1,564, with an increase of 7.6 percent from the 1,454 registered deaths in the same quarter of 2023.

The month of January posted the highest number of deaths in Oriental Mindoro during the first quarter of 2024 with 594 deaths or 38.0 percent of the total registered marriages in the first quarter of 2024. Followed by the month of February 2024 with 496 deaths.

Comparing the first quarter 2024 data to the fourth quarter 2023, same trend was observed, an increase of 69 registered deaths or 4.6 percent.

(SGD) CHARLYN ROMERO-CANTOS, PhD
(Chief Administrative Officer)
Officer-in-Charge
Oriental Mindoro Provincial Statistical Office

TECHNICAL NOTES ON VITAL STATISTICS

INTRODUCTION

Vital statistics are derived from information obtained at the time when the occurrences of vital events and their characteristics are inscribed in a civil register.

Vital acts and events are the births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and all such events that have something to do with an individual's entrance and departure from life together with the changes in civil status that may occur to a person during his lifetime. Recording of these events in the civil register is known as vital or civil registration and the resulting documents are called vital records.

STRUCTURE OF VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM

The production of vital statistics comprised of a system of operations in which the registration of vital events is an important component. The system begins with the registration followed by the processing and controlling of vital records and ends with the compilation and analysis of vital statistics.

Under Commonwealth Act (CA) 591, the Bureau of Census (now Philippine Statistics Authority) is mandated to generate general purpose statistics and to carry out and administer Act No. 3753.

Under the same law, the head of the PSA is also the Civil Registrar General (CRG) who directs and supervises the local civil registration activities in the country. The CRG in this regard is empowered to prepare and issue implementing rules and regulations on civil registration and to prepare and order printed the necessary forms for proper compliance.

The set-up of vital statistics system involves different entities and cuts across different departments and personalities.

For the registration of vital events, the Local Civil Registry Offices (LCROs), which are the registration units in the country and headed by the City/Municipal Civil Registrars (C/MCRs), are under the Local Government Units (LGUs). The hospitals, clinics, rural health units and similar institutions including barangay secretaries, practicing physicians, midwives, nurses, traditional midwives, solemnizing officers from various religious sects and denomination are required to assist in the reporting of vital events for registration at the LCROs. The concerned parents, next of kin, contracting parties, a witness or the person who has full knowledge of the occurrence of the event are also required to report the event, in default of the first mentioned set of informants.

The processing and controlling of vital documents are done at the LCROs and at the PSA Provincial and Central Offices. The compilation and analysis of vital statistics is taken care of by the PSA Central Office under the Vital Statistics Division of the Civil Registration and Central Support Office.

THE REGISTRATION METHOD

As mandated in Act 3753, all vital events that marked the entry and departure of a person in his lifetime and the changes in his/her civil status shall be registered. The registration method is defined as the continuous, permanents and compulsory recording of the occurrences and characteristics of vital events, primarily for their value as legal documents and secondary for their usefulness as a source of statistics.

Place where to register the event. As a general rule, the place of registration is the LCRO of the city of municipality where the vital events occur. 

Out of town reporting of vital event occurs when the documents presented to the civil registrar of LCRO, which is not the place of occurrence, not for registration but to be forwarded to the civil registrar of LCRO where the event occurred and where it should be registered. 

Forms to use. The civil register consists of certificates and the registry book. It also includes the actual copies of the registrable court decisions and the legal instruments concerning the civil status of persons. The certificates are loose-leaf forms in a set of four copies except for the Certificate of Foundling which is in a set of three. 

Person who will report the event. The informant is the one who reports the event for registration and who gives information to be recorded in the civil register. 

In case of live birth, the law requires the hospital or clinic administrator or his representative if the birth occurred in the hospital or clinic. If the birth occurred elsewhere, the attendant who may either be a physician, nurse, license midwife or traditional birth attendant makes the report. In default of the hospital authority, or the attendant, the responsibility of reporting the births devolves upon either or both parents or upon a person who has full knowledge of the facts of birth and filiation of the child. 

Period when to report the event. Live births shall be reported for registration to C/MCR not later than thirty (30) days from the date of birth. 

Any report made to the LCROs beyond the reglementary period are considered late and can be entered only in the civil register after the informant complies with the requirements for delayed registration. 

Operative Act of Registration. The C/MCR sees to it that appropriate form it used; form is properly and completely filled-up; and proper attachments are submitted. In case, the entries are found incomplete, the C/MCR has to require the person concerned to fill up the document completely or to correct the entries. 

When the document is accepted for registration, the date of receipt is recorded in the space provided and the documents received for the day are entered immediately in the appropriate civil registry book, assigning therein the corresponding registry number. After registration entry/entries found erroneous can only be corrected through RA 9048, except sex, nationality, age, and status which require court approval. 

Distribution of registered documents. Upon registration, the C/MCR distributes the copies accordingly: the first copy to the informant; the second copy to the CRG; the third copy shall be retained by the LCRO; and the fourth copy to the attendant or solemnizing officer, as the case may be. The CRG copy is the source of vital statistics published in this report.

DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Significant terminologist and descriptions in the foregoing highlights and tables are defined below. Included are some items found in the certificates and summary measure used in describing the facts of events.

Live Birth is a complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached; each product of such a birth is considered live born.