PSA, Unisys ink P1.59-B civil registry project

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) signed yesterday with Unisys Public Sector Services Corp. the concession agreement for the P1.59 billion Civil Registry System—Information Technology Project Phase II (CRS-ITP2), the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center announced.

This gives Unisys the go-signal to proceed with the second phase of the modernization program for the civil registry operations of the PSA.

As the private sector partner, Unisys would improve the current service level provided by the agency in the issuance of various civil registry documents such as birth, marriage, death and no marriage certificates.

The project, which would take two years to develop, involves the upgrade of the existing civil registry system to an entirely new system with higher specifications and service level requirements as well as the construction of a new building that would house the servers of the upgraded system.

Its precursor, CRS-ITP Phase 1, began in 1999 and is set to expire in March 2017. In anticipation of this date, discussions on the CRS-ITP Phase 2 were initiated in 2012, receiving NEDA Board approval in July 2015.

PSA currently has 40 CRS outlets servicing claims for civil registry documents. Once the project is completed, 40 more CRS outlets would be established nationwide.

Unisys was the only company out of three prequalified bidders that submitted offers during the June 10 tender for the project.

Upon review  of the offer by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), the government found the company compliant with all the technical and financial proposal requirements of the project. The PSA issued the notice of award to Unisys on Sept. 9.

The contract for the second phase of the project was awarded in time for the scheduled onboarding of the new concessionaire into the system in September. This would allow for a six-month transition process during which the new system operator would familiarize itself with the IT system for Phase 1 before taking over in March 2017, preventing major service interruptions in providing civil registry documents.

To pave the way for the construction of the new building, the PSA has temporarily relocated its frontline service counters on East Avenue to Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The counters for the issuance of civil registry documents—birth, marriage and death certificates as well as certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) — would be transferred to offices in Solicarel Building 1 and II, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd., Sta. Mesa, Manila effective Oct. 3.

Assistant national statistician Editha Orcilla said the frontline operations in the East Avenue central outlet would be transferred for a period of two years while a 23-story PSA building and civil registration building is being constructed.

“Right now, we have different offices and we want to all eventually move back to our lot in Quezon City. So what will rise there is a PSA complex,” she said.

There would be two separate buildings, the PSA building and the civil registration service building. So this year, the preparations for those would be carried out that is why we need to vacate the area,” she added.

PSA currently holds offices in Quezon City, Makati and Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Meanwhile, civil registry services would continue to be provided in the following outlets in Metro Manila: Hobbies of Asia at No. 8 Diosdado Macapagal Ave. in Pasay City; Caloocan City Hall, on A. Mabini St., Caloocan City; Makati City Hall on J.P Rizal St., Poblacion, Makati City; Starmall Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Pasig City Hall on Caruncho Ave., Barangay San Nicolas, Pasig City.

PSA said all its Metro Manila outlets will be open Mondays to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.