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- calendar_today October 11, 2026
Documentary Exposes the High Cost of Lacking Birth Certificates
The new Filipino documentary I Have a Name, directed by Ditsi Carolino, sheds light on the struggles faced by families in Lanao del Sur, Philippines, where more than 137,000 children lack birth certificates. Released on the International Day of the Girl, the film explores how missing birth certificates can severely restrict children’s rights, particularly access to education.
Barriers to Education and Basic Rights
For many children in the region, being undocumented means being excluded from the classroom and denied fundamental rights. The documentary profiles two mothers, Asliah and Noraima, who are caught in a cycle of poverty and displacement, making it nearly impossible to secure birth certificate access for their children. Without this essential document, children are rendered officially invisible to systems designed to recognize and protect them.
Personal Stories from Lanao del Sur
Asliah, age 36, shares her experience of marrying at 14 and having eight children. Only her first four children, born in a hospital in Manila, received birth certificates. The remaining four, born at home in Lanao del Sur, remain undocumented. The family faces significant financial hardship—struggling to afford even basic necessities—and her husband is often forced to leave for work in the capital. Asliah’s hopes rest on education as a means for her children to achieve a better life. Yet, as she states in the film, “When a child has no birth certificate, it feels like something is missing. It’s like she still has no name.”
The Impact of the Marawi Siege and Ongoing Conflict
Noraima, a 25-year-old mother of four, faces a similar dilemma. Only two of her children have birth certificates. The aftermath of the 2017 Marawi siege—when conflict between government forces and ISIS-linked groups displaced hundreds of thousands—further complicates the situation. For families like Noraima’s, the cost and danger of traveling to obtain the necessary paperwork make securing documentation almost unattainable. As home births are common, the expense of accessing a hospital is beyond their reach. Noraima poignantly describes having to choose between immediate needs, saying, “When you only have enough money for rice, that’s what you spend it on.”
Documenting Official Invisibility and Inspiring Change
Produced in collaboration with Plan International Canada, I Have a Name aims to draw international attention to the global issue of official invisibility, particularly for girls. The film uses personal narratives to highlight how missing birth certificates perpetuate education barriers and reinforce cycles of poverty and displacement. By focusing on the resilience of two mothers striving to secure children’s rights, the documentary spotlights a critical underreported issue.
International Day of the Girl and the Documentary’s Message
The release coincides with the International Day of the Girl on October 11, a day designated to spotlight challenges facing girls worldwide, such as limited access to education, legal rights, and protection from gender-based violence. I Have a Name invites viewers to reflect on the significance of documentation in empowering children and ensuring they are recognized members of society.
The full-length documentary is now available for viewing and has received positive critical acclaim for bringing attention to issues often taken for granted, such as the role of a birth certificate in shaping a child’s future.
Source: nowtoronto.com.
