# HELP! Need a copy of Father's birth certificate from Philippines - HOW?



## SonOfFrench (Sep 3, 2015)

Hi all

I urgently need a copy of my Father's birth certificate. He was born in Cebu in 1936. He tried to request it via https://www.ecensus.com.ph however, they only handle birth certificate requests for those born 1945 and younger. Does anyone have any ideas how he can get a copy of his birth certificate? He no longer has a copy (even a photo copy) and I need this so I can change a typo on my own long form birth certificate in Canada.

Thanks in advance


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## SonOfFrench (Sep 3, 2015)

Just to add:

I have followed the instructions on the FAQ: https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/FAQs.aspx#D10

Unless the birth certificate undergoes endorsement or delayed registration, we regret that the NSO cannot provide you with the birth record. Civil registry records that are available in our electronic and paper archives cover births, marriages and deaths that occurred starting 1945 to the current year, and from 1951 onwards for events that occurred in Manila. For civil registry records prior to 1945, we issue certifications (negative), unless NSO was able to receive a copy of the birth certificate through endorsement or delayed registration.
You may also check if a copy of the birth certificate is available in the National Archives. We suggest that you course your query to the Chief Archivist, Archives Collection and Access Division of the National Archives, T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila, or email at [email protected], or telefax at (632) 400-4967.

I still have not heard back from this email - any other thoughts from the forum please? 

Thanks!


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Things were very Chaotic during the timeframe prior to 1945 in the Philippines due to the Japanese. The vast majority of prior records were destroyed during that time and are not physically available. A lot of people here more or less reconstructed their lives by doing affidavits to cover life events. There are no actual records to refute the affidavits and therefore are considered to be facts. Most Philippine Lawyers are familiar with this process. I am not actually knowledgeable about this, my wife has told me some stories about how her father went about some things like this.

Fred


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

I looked at a copy of my Father's birth certificate from Manila in 1924 and it was handwritten and issued by a local doctor at a local hospital. I don't think there was a central station keeping all the country's records back then; all the recordkeeping was local.

Here is a longshot idea. There is a possibility a record remains with the local hospital where he was actually born; assuming the hospital still remains with the records. If he was born in a house with the services of a mid-wife, I'm sorry to say, there may be no record at all. 

JM101


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

SonOfFrench said:


> You may also check if a copy of the birth certificate is available in the National Archives. We suggest that you course your query to the Chief Archivist, Archives Collection and Access Division of the National Archives, T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila, or email at [email protected], or telefax at (632) 400-4967.
> 
> I still have not heard back from this email - any other thoughts from the forum please?
> 
> Thanks!


Archives, if they do reply will likely tell you to look here.

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2018411

The majority on this forum are Foreigners. I suggest you post your concerns on a similar forum used mainly by Philippine Citizens, particularly from Cebu who may have a solution.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Do you still have family contacts here? They should know how to obtain a birth certificate from his municipality.


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

My father-in-laws birth certificate were destroyed during the war as well BUT the US consulate considered his Baptismal and Wedding Certificates as proof of identity during a tedious immigrant application process. You could ask the Canadian authorities if these documents, if retrieved, could suffice in lieu of a birth cert.

As for the National Archives check this must be done personally. No amount of emails or phone calls could have a difference because those guys are still doing manual searches of microfilms and plates. That is if the documents even survived numerous flooding during the years.


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