For some time, I had been confused on how will the National Statistics Office (NSO) get to have in their records that I’m already married. We were married in Japan and our marriage certificate is in Japanese. Now, if I were a different kind of person, if we didn’t report our marriage in Japan, I could very well get married again here in the Philippines, with another person!

So, how does the information trickle down to our government statistics office here? As I am worried over the confusion that might happen when I renew my passport in the DFA tomorrow, I asked the NSO a couple of days ago on how and when can they have a copy of my marriage certificate.

Says NSO and I quote:

———————-

Dear Ma’am:

Thank you for your e-mail.

For events that occurred outside the Philippines, registration is done at the
office of the Philippine Consulate located in the country where the event took
place.

Thereafter, the said office will forward the copy of the civil registry record
to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) here in Manila.  In turn, it will
be DFA-Manila who will be providing a copy to the National Statistics Office
(NSO).

Upon forwarding of the DFA to the NSO, the record is assigned reference
numbers. Please provide us the following information in order to assist the
NSO in the search and retrieval of your marriage certificate:

1. DISPATCH NUMBER
2. DISPATCH DATE
3. REFERENCE NUMBER

The above information can be obtained from the DFA in Manila. It is also
suggested that you verify first with DFA-Manila if the marriage record, sent
by the Philippine Consulate, had already been received by the  Records
Management Division, and if DFA-Manila has already forwarded a copy to  the
NSO.   Kindly get in touch with DFA-Manila at (632) 834-4000.

Thereafter, you may submit your request for marriage certificate through our
website (www.e-census.com.ph).

Thank you.

Yours truly,

e-Census Operations

—————-

So there. First step is made by the couple which is the ROM (Report of Marriage) in our case which was applied by Hubbie more than two weeks ago. We’re still waiting for the ROM certificate up to now though. Albeit the question is if at this time, when all documents are in transit, I’d be able to get a CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) from NSO if I request for one. 

Anyways, if there’d be some election on the BEST PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AGENCY, I would highly and proudly vote for the NSO’s e-census. So far, they’re the only government office that I am really impressed with the service. Superb customer service, they have. I wish all other government agencies would emulate them.

KUDOS, NSO!