The PSAHelpline and the e-Census website are two convenient options to get a copy of your important documents, such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate and certificate of no marriage record (CENOMAR). For busy people who do not have time to queue in lines, impatient in filling out papers and too hesitant to interact with government staff (sorry), the request and application for such documents through the web are welcome options.
 If you are confused about where to get your certificates, let me tell you that PSAHelpline and the e-Census website are both efficient in processing the requests (at least based on my experience). There are some minor differences and tweaks in the process and I listed them below.
| PSAHelpline*** | E-Census Website (now called PSA Serbilis) | |
| Pricing | Php 365* per copy (birth/marriage/death certificate) Php 450 (for CENOMAR) – inclusive of shipping fee | Php 330** per copy (birth/marriage/death certificate) Php 430 (for CENOMAR) – inclusive of shipping fee |
| Additional Documents | No need to provide the amended version of the certificate | Following the completion of the online request form, you have to email the amended certificate to the e-Census. |
| Website mobile optimization | the website has a mobile version | The desktop version will be loaded |
| Assistance | You can call the hotline to request your certificate and a CSR will assist you. He/She will input your details and make the request, but you have to make sure that all the details you give are spelled correctly. | Self-help through filling out of the online request form on the website. |
I did not experience a delay in the delivery, so I can’t say which platform took longer to deliver. So far, the factors listed above are what I think will make you decide which platform is more suited for you. 😃😃😃😃😃
*as per my request on Feb 2019
**as of Feb 2, 2018
***On January 9, 2020 the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and Teleserv have put up announcements regarding the termination of their partnership in providing civil registry documents. All requests for documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and CENOMAR will be received and processed by PSA through their PSA Serbilis website.
