Latest news with #CertificateofLive
GMA Network
16 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
‘Undoubtedly Chinese': Manila court voids Alice Guo's mayorship
Former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, attends a Senate hearing on September 9, 2024. REUTERS/ Eloisa Lopez A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ruled that dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is 'undoubtedly Chinese' and deemed her mayorship 'void.' In a 67-page quo warranto decision, Judge Liwliwa S. Hidalgo-Bucu of the Manila RTC Branch 34 stated that Guo Hua Ping and Alice Guo are one and the same person. During a Senate inquiry, Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed that the National Bureau of Investigation found that Guo Hua Ping and Alice Guo have the same fingerprints, but their relation with one another was denied by the dismissed Bamban mayor's legal counsel. Respondent Guo Hua Ping is undoubtedly a Chinese citizen, born to Chinese parents, namely Guo Jian Zhong and Lin Wenyi. She and her parents are holders of Chinese passports,' the decision read. It further explained that Guo's Philippine passport is not considered a 'conclusive proof of citizenship,' just like her birth certificate. 'The Certificate of Live Birth of Alice Leal Guo contains dubious entries, which are not supported by concrete and credible evidence,' the decision read. Guo's arrest came after she faced several accusations, including having a fake identity, being a Chinese spy and being involved in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) syndicate. She claimed she was a Filipino citizen and denied her involvement in illegal POGO operations. With the court's decision on Guo's citizenship, it not only concluded that she is disqualified to hold the position as Bamban mayor but is also prevented from running for the said position in the first place. 'Guo is nothing more but a usurper of the Office of the Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. The fact that she won the election and has already assumed office is of no moment as it did not cure her disqualification of lack of Philippine citizenship,' the decision read. 'Her disqualification was already existing at the time of the filing of her Certificate of Candidacy. It follows, therefore, that her proclamation was deemed void,' it added. In August 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Guo for grave misconduct. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
14-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
DepEd OKs one-time submission of child's birth certificate for entire K-12
The Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed parents or guardians to submit their learner's birth certificate only once for the entire K-12 education in order to simplify the enrollment process. "We've heard from parents that enrollment problems often come from documentary requirements—especially when records are lost, delayed, or need to be reprocessed. This change saves families time and money. More importantly, it helps ensure that no child misses the first day of school just because of paperwork," Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement on Saturday. Under its revised guidelines, the DepEd said parents or guardians must submit the original or a certified true copy of the child's birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), formerly known as the National Statistics Office (NSO). If unavailable upon enrollment, they may submit secondary documents—such as the National ID, persons with disability (PWD) ID, and the Philhealth ID—until October 31. In this case, the birth certificate should still be provided as soon as it becomes available. Other secondary documents that are accepted include any primary government ID, Certificate of Live Birth, Marriage Certificate, Barangay Certification, Affidavit of undertaking signed by parents, NSO/PSA issued Certificate of Foundling, and Baptismal Certificate. Meanwhile, special provisions are provided for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) and residents of rehabilitation facilities enrolled in alternative learning system (ALS), who may submit certificates or proof of identity to their ALS teachers. Enrollment can be done either in person or remotely, where parents or guardians may register their learner in-person by submitting the Basic Education Enrollment Form (BEEF) and necessary documents at school. Learners, meanwhile, are also allowed to enroll themselves provided they are of legal age, while minors should have their enrollment form signed by a parent or legal guardian. Options for remote enrollment include sending completed digital forms through the school's email or messaging platforms, or dropping forms at designated boxes located in schools, barangay halls, or other collection points. Digital and printed copies of the form could be accessed on DepEd's official websites, Learner Information System (LIS) support page, schools, barangays, and other designated locations. Late enrollees, the DepEd said, may still be accepted should they meet at least 80% of the number of school days and pass the quarterly requirements. If not, the school head may decide to accept the student and offer interventions to catch-up. The agency underscored that students' records must be transferred directly between schools. Further, no voluntary fees shall be collected during the early registration and enrollment period. The DepEd said the new policy is in response to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s call for faster, seamless, and more inclusive school registration, while also reducing the financial burden on families. With the new guidelines, the DepEd said it expects that more students will be enrolled this year across all grade levels in public schools during the nationwide registration period from June 9 to 13, 2025. Classes for the School Year 2025-2026 will start on Monday, June 16, 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
