unit 1 lesson 2

Test of
Authenticity
and Credibility
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Lesson 2 - Test of Authenticity and Credibility

Get the original copy of your birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority
(formerly National Statistics Office) and discuss its (1) competence and impartiality in
telling the truth, (2) willingness in telling the truth and (3) adequacy of data that it conveys.
What other sources do you have at home do you think you can corroborate with your birth
certificate? What corroboration did you establish?

(1) competence and impartiality in telling the truth

A birth certificate must be accurate and impartial in telling the truth, and it must
include verification of the event that was documented by a person who was present
when it happened, such as a health professional like a midwife or doctor. The
contents of the preceding document are presumed to have been accurate and
truthful at the time they were entered considering that it was produced by a national
government agency.

I have examined my birth certificate, issued by PSA, and discovered no issues. My

parents reassured me that everything listed on my birth certificate was accurate.
Based on the witness to my birth, which are my parents, the information within the
birth certificate is consistently expressed and properly written.

(2) willingness in telling the truth

There is no justification for a government agency to invent or fabricate information
about a person because the birth certificate is essential to a person's identity. We
can guarantee that the information listed in their records is accurate and that no
false information was created regarding the identification of a person because it
might result in a different punishment. To assume that the information that
institution holds is real, the witness will once again attest to the data's authenticity
and accuracy by promising not to disclose any misleading information.

(3) adequacy of data that it conveys

The data accuracy on the birth certificate is quite great and well-organized. It is
used to confirm someone's citizenship and identity. The primary goal of the brief
birth certificate is to demonstrate that a birth genuinely took place and was
registered. It includes all relevant facts or details regarding the precise particulars
of a person's birth and can also help people obtain identification documents issued
by the government. The correct information must be displayed on every legal
identity that is made, and this information is normally taken from your birth
certificate. This is incredibly persuasive evidence, especially as we get older.

What other sources do you have at home do you think you can corroborate with your birth
certificate? What corroboration did you establish?
My school transcripts, school ID, national ID, and QCitizen ID are the other sources
that I can use to support my birth certificate because they include practically
identical information. You must make sure that you bring your own birth certificate
as requirements when applying for these types of IDs. By providing evidence for
this assertion, I was able to confirm the validity of the information contained in my
birth certificate.