Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 579

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This proposed measure seeks to strengthen the system for the delayed registration of
births by amending Act No. 3753, otherwise known as the “Law on Civil Registry Status. The
bill introduces stricter guidelines and procedures for late registration to ensure authenticity and
to prevent abuse. It mandates that birth registration must occur within thirty (30) days of birth,
but allows for late registration provided that specific conditions are met. This includes
additional documentation, field visits and interviews by the local civil registrars in order to
verify legitimacy.

Itis a fundamental right of every human the right to a name and nationality. Registering
one’s birth is the critical first step in ensuring that this is rightfully given. The registration and
issuance of a birth certificate is essential in establishing one’s identity, nationality and lineage.
It serves as legal proof of existence of one individual and is a requirement in accessing various
social services like education, healthcare and even government benefits. A systematic
framework of civil registration is one that not only supports the rule of law and but also
safeguards citizen rights. This also aids the government in preserving precise national data,
which is crucial for effective policymaking and administration.

Under Act No. 3753, birth registration in the Philippines must occur within thirty (30)
days of birth. Late registration is allowed, however, certain conditions and requirements must
be met or submitted. While late registration serves as a safety net for those who missed the
initial registration deadline, the current system has also been subject to abuse. Delayed
registration cases sometimes involve fabrications or alterations of personal information, which
not only jeopardize the integrity of civil records but also create legal complications, as
highlighted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In one such case involving "Alice
Guo," the late registration system was allegedly manipulated to change her identity and
citizenship. This misuse threatens the credibility of the civil registration process and raises
concerns about the issuance of fraudulent certificates that could potentially impact national
security.

According to data from the PSA, an estimated 5 million Filipinos still do not have birth
certificates. These individuals are left in legal limbo, unable to access basic services and
participate fully in civic life. It is imperative to address this gap while ensuring that the process


of delayed registration does not become a loophole for identity fraud. Birth registration is
essential not only for the individual but also for the State to monitor demographic trends and
maintain accurate population statistics.

This proposed bill aims to strengthen the system of delayed registration of births
through the provision of stricter guidelines and procedures in verifying the legitimacy of late
applications. It requires additional documentation, field visits and interviews by the local civil
registrars to ensure that claims of unregistered births are authentic. Moreover, this bill
introduces a mandatory ten (10) day public notice period for all late registration applications
that allows for objections or challenges to be raised by concerned individuals who can attest to
the applicant's claims. This aims to improve transparency and deter abuse.

The bill also recognizes the importance of PSA's Negative Certification of Birth
Records as a required document for late registration, preventing individuals trom submitting
fraudulent birth records across different jurisdictions. By amending Act No. 3753, this
proposed legislation will not only streamline birth registration processes but also fortify the
integrity of the civil registry, ensuring that delayed registrations are properly regulated and
controlled.

This proposed measure ensures that every Filipino, regardless of their circumstances,
has access to legal identity while preventing abuses that could compromise the country’s civil
registry system and national security. The time has come to tighten the safeguards around late
birth registration while promoting access to proper documentation for every Filipino citizen.
This bill is a necessary step towards protecting the integrity of our civil registration system and
ensuring that no Filipino is left behind.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

JAIMEZE-FRESNEDI
Representative
Lone District, Muntinlupa City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House BILL No._979

Introduced by Rep. Jaime R. Fresnedi

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF FILING OF DELAYED REGISTRATION OF
BIRTHS IN THE COUNTRY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ACT NO. 3753

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Delayed Registration of
Birth Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to promote the importance
of civil registry documents to establish identity and civil status, support universal civil
registration and to produce accurate, complete and update vital statistics.

Sec. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

a) Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) refers to the source of vital information and
provides legal proof of the identity of an individual;

b) Civil Registrar General refers to the head of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
and the one who provides overall direction in the implementation of the Civil Registry Law
and related issuances and exercise technical supervision over the local civil registrars;

c) Delayed Registration of Birth refers to the registration of birth record after the
teglementary period of thirty (30) day from the time of birth in the Office of the Local Civil
Registrar of the place where it occurred;

4d) Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or City/Municipal Civil Registrar refers to the person
official in-charge with the duty of implementing and enforcing the provisions of the Civil
Registry Law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and other laws related to civil
registration;


e) Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) refers to the department in the City/Municipal
government which is mandated to perform civil registration functions;

f) Negative Certification of Birth Record refers to the document issued by the PSA
certifying that it has no record of the person’s birth, marriage or death certificate in its electronic
and paper archives after an exhaustive search in the said archive;

g) Registration of Birth refers to the permanent and official recording of a person’s
existence.

Sec. 4. Requirements on Filing Delayed Registration of Birth. - The following
requirements shall be submitted by any party seeking late registration of birth:

a) For a party secking late registration of birth whose parents are both Filipino
citizens:

1) If the person is less than eighteen (18) years old:

i) Four (4) copies of the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) duly
accomplished and signed by the proper parties;

ii) Accomplished Affidavit for Delayed Registration at the back of the
COLB by the father, mother or guardian declaring therein, among other things, the following:

‘Name of child;
© Date and place of birth;

*Name of the father if the child is illegitimate and has been
acknowledged by him;

If legitimate, the date and place of marriage of parents; and

Reason for not registering the birth within thirty (30) days after the
date of birth.

iii) Negative Certification of Birth Record from the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA)

iv) Certificate of Marriage of the parents if the child is legitimate: and
v) Birth Certificate of the parents.

In case the party seeking late registration of birth of an illegitimate child is not

the mother, the party in addition to the foregoing documents, shall submit the

following:

vi) Sworn statement stating the present whereabouts of the mother

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vii) Any two (2) of the following documentary evidence which may
show the name of the child, date and place of birth and name of the mother (and name of the
father, if the child has been acknowledge):

‘Baptismal Certificate;

School records;

Income tax return;

‘Insurance policy;

*Medical records; and
Others, such as barangay chairperson’s certification

viii) Affidavit of two (2) disinterested persons who might have
witnessed or known the birth of the child.

2) If the person is eighteen (18) years old or above, he/she shall apply for the
late registration of his/her birth and the requirements shall be:

i) All the requirements for a child who is less than eighteen (18) years
old; and

ii) Certificate of Marriage, if married.

b) For a party seeking late registration of birth, wherein one of the parents is a
foreigner:

1) Certificate of Marriage of the parents if the child is legitimate;

2) Birth certificate of the parents;

3) Passport of both parents;

4) Affidavit of Admission of Paternity and/or Affidavit to Use the Sumame of
the Father under Republic Act No. 9255, if the child is illegitimate and was acknowledged by

the father; or

5) Affidavit of Acknowledgment in case of an illegitimate child born prior to 03
August 1988.

c) When the application for the delayed registration of birth is filed on behalf of
another person, in addition to the abovementioned requirements of filing delayed registration
of birth:

1) Special Power of Attorney (SPA) or Authorization Letter executed by the
document owner, authorizing the applicant to file the delayed registration of birth;


2) Valid Identification Card of the document owner and the requester or
applicant; and

3) Affidavit of the document owner or the registrant in case the document owner
is already deceased stating the reasons why he/she cannot personally filed the application.

Sec. 5. Procedures on Delayed Registration of Birth. — Birth registered later than thirty
(30) days after its occurrence is considered a delayed registration. Delayed registration of birth,
like an ordinary registration made at the time of birth, shall registered at the Local Civil
Registry Office (LCRPO) of the place where the birth occurred. The delayed registration of
birth shall undergo the procedure as follows:

a) Upon receiving the application for delayed registration of birth, the City/Municipal
Civil Registrar (C/MCR) shall examine the COLB presented whether it has been completely
and correctly filled-out. The C/MCR shall also evaluate the veracity of the statements made in
the Affidavits and other submitted supporting documents through personal interview with the
applicant and a field visit with the Office of the Punong Barangay where the child resides to
confirm the statements made in the Affidavits and the genuineness of the supporting
documents;

b) Submission of a Negative Certificate of Live Birth issued by the PSA Civil Registry
System Outlets or other authorized issuing centers, must be required as a mandatory
requirement for the application for delayed registration to ensure that there is no existing birth
record registered anywhere in the country;

c) A notice to the public on the pending application for delayed registration shall be
posted for ten (10) consecutive days on a bulletin board outside the office of the local civil
registrar located in a conspicuous place within the building and accessible to the general public,
as well as in the official website, social media accounts and other official physical and digital
media and channels of the local civil registrar and the PSA, subject to the provisions of
Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012

d) If no one opposes the registration after ten (1) days, the C/MCR shall review the
application and if convinced beyond doubt that the applicant for Delayed Registration was
really born within his/her jurisdiction, the C/MCR shall accept and register the delayed
registration of birth.

Sec Roles and Responsibilities of the LCRs and the PSA. - The LCROs of the
different cities and municipalities, through their Local Civil Registrars, shall facilitate the
registration of birth within their territorial jurisdiction. They shall likewise see to it that the
appropriate form is used, the form is properly and completely filled out, entries therein are
cored and the proper attachments are submitted. In case the entries are found incomplete or
incorrect, the Local Civil Registrars shall require the person concerned to fill out the document
completely or to correct the entries, as the case may be.

The PSA shall see to it that the prescribed standards, criteria and procedures provided
in this Act are properly implemented. Likewise, it has the duty to report any irregularities,
negligence or incompetency of C/MCR in the performance of his/her functions under this Act
to the concerned Mayor for the latter to take the proper disciplinary action.

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Sec. 7. False Statement. ~ Any person who shall knowingly make false statements in
the forms furnished and shall present the same for entry in the civil register, shall be punished
by imprisonment for not less than six (6) months and one (1) day but not more than twelve (12)
years and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than
Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00).

In addition, if the person who violated the provisions of this Act is a public official,
he/she shall be dismissed from service and shall suffer perpetual absolute disqualification to
hold public office.

Sec. 8. Separability Clause. ~ Should any provision of this Act or any part thereof be
declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are separable from the invalid ones, shall
remain in force and effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
or parts thereof that are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified

accordingly.

SEC. 10, Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the
Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,