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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
‘Third Regular Session

10715

House Bill No

Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone District, Quirino

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ORDERLY, URGENT, AND EFFECTIVE EXECUTION
OF ACTIONS AND DECISIONS INVOLVING ANNULMENT, DISSOLUTION OF
MARRIAGE, LEGAL SEPARATION, MARRIAGE, BIRTH REGISTRATION, DEATH
REGISTRATION, AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS AFFECTING THE CIVIL REGISTRY OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY,
AMENDING THE FAMILY COURTS ACT OF 1997 (REPUBLIC ACT 8369),
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Family Code provides for different remedies to be granted by the Family Court. However, in
practice, annulment and other Family Law issues and cases undergo lengthy court or administrative
processes.

Thus, there remains the opportunity to ensure that those who come before the Family Court seeking
various remedies can receive these in time. This bill sets a timeline of up to 360 working days for the
hearing and resolution of annulment and other Family Law cases: 180 days at the Family Court and
180 days on appeal.

Considering the foregoing, swift passage of this bill is sought.

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| CUA
Representative
Lone District, Quirino


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Republic of the Phil

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City, Metro Mai

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
‘Third Regular Session

10715

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone District, Quirino

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ORDERLY, URGENT, AND EFFECTIVE EXECUTION
OF ACTIONS AND DECISIONS INVOLVING ANNULMENT, DISSOLUTION OF
MARRIAGE, LEGAL SEPARATION, MARRIAGE, BIRTH REGISTRATION, DEATH
REGISTRATION, AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS AFFECTING THE CIVIL REGISTRY OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY,
AMENDING THE FAMILY COURTS ACT OF 1997 (REPUBLIC ACT 8369),
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION I. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as The Family Law Reform Act of 2024.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to ensure the equitable, efficient and
effective delivery of public services, including the operations, maintenance, processes of

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5 administrative, civil, and criminal actions and proceedings affecting the civil registry of the local
6 — government units and the Philippine Statistics Authority, especially those involving annulment,
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dissolution of marriage, legal separation, marriage, birth registration, adoption, founding registration,
and death registration, It is also the policy of the State to ensure fair and swift legal and judicial
proceedings on cases involving family relations and Family Law.

Il SEC. 3. Swiff Resolution and Continuous Trial of Family Court Cases. — The Family Court and
12 appellate courts shall ensure the swift resolution and continuous trial of every Family Court case
13. brought before them. At the level of the Family Court, a deadline of one hundred and eighty (180)
14 working days is hereby set for hearings and judgment of each case. On appeal, a deadline of another
15. one hundred and eighty (180) working days is hereby set for hearings and judgment of each case. The
16 Supreme Court shall issue, upon recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator, the
17 necessary rules to implement this Section of this Act.

19 SEC. 4. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, all other
20 provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid.

22 SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts
23 thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

25 SEC. 6. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
26 — Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

28 Approved,