REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Civil registry documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates are vital records 
of individuals. While they remain permanent records of identities and do not have 
expiration periods, the certificate imprinted on the security paper (SECPA) by the 
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is only valid for six (6) months. Individuals are then 
asked to secure a new copy every six (6) months, if required by government agencies 
and private companies, for application for licenses, passports, employment, and social 
security benefits. It proves to be arduous on the part of the citizenry, especially those 
who are living in remote areas, as it demands recurring and unnecessary expenses. 
This proposed measure seeks to provide for the permanent validity of the certificates of 
birth, death and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the PSA, the local 
civil registry offices, and the National Statistics Office (NSO). It allows the submission of 
certificates or certified true copies of the original issued and signed by the local civil 
registrar and the National Statistics Office. Further, it also prohibits government agencies 
May 24, 2021
5:20 pm
9435


and private companies from requiring an individual to submit the most recent copy of 
birth, marriage, or death certificates to avail their services. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
 
 
 
 
Representative 
 
 
 
 
Magdalo Para Sa Pilipino Party-List 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE PERMANENT VALIDITY OF THE CERTIFICATES OF LIVE 
BIRTH, 
DEATH 
AND 
MARRIAGE 
ISSUED, 
SIGNED, 
CERTIFIED 
AND 
AUTHENTICATED BY THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA), THE 
LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICES AND THE NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE 
(NSO) 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title.– This Act shall be known as the “Permanent Validity of 
1 
the Certificates of Live Birth, Death and Marriage Act.” 
2 
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.– It is hereby the policy the State to establish an 
4 
effective system for providing copies of civil registry documents to all its citizens. The 
5 
State likewise promotes efficiency and economy by removing duplicitous processes and 
6 
strenuous requirements involving the issuance and use of those documents. Towards this 
7 
9435


end, the State shall enforce the permanent validity of the certificates of live birth, death 
1 
and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the Philippine Statistics 
2 
Authority (PSA), the local civil registry offices and the National Statistics Office (NSO). 
3 
 
4 
Sec. 3. Permanent Validity.– The Certificate of Live Birth, the Certificate and the 
5 
Certificate of Marriage issued, signed, certified or authenticated by the Philippine Statistics 
6 
Authority, the local civil registry offices or the National Statistics Office, shall have 
7 
permanent validity regardless of the date of issuance, shall be recognized and accepted 
8 
in all government or private transactions or services requiring submission as proof of 
9 
identity and legal status of a person: Provided, That the document remains intact and 
10 
readable, and still visibly contains the authenticity and security features: Provided further, 
11 
That the entries in the certificates of live birth, death and marriage do not require 
12 
administrative or judicial correction as provided under Republic Act No. 9048 entitled “An 
13 
Act Authorizing the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or the Consul General to Correct a 
14 
Clerical or Typographical Error in an Entry and/or Change of First Name or Nickname in 
15 
the Civil Registrar Without Need of a Judicial Order, Amending for this Purpose Articles 
16 
376 and 412 of the Civil Code of the Philippines,” as amended by Republic Act No. 10172 
17 
entitled “An Act Further Authorizing the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or the Consul 
18 
General to Correct Clerical or Typographical Errors in the Day and Month in the Date of 
19 
Birth or Sex of a Person Appearing in the Civil Register Without Need of a Judicial Order, 
20 
Amending for this Purpose Republic Act Numbered Ninety Forty-Eight,” and Republic Act 
21 
No. 9255 entitled “An Act Allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surname of their 
22 
Father, Amending for the Purpose Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise 
23 
known as the “Family Code of the Philippines.” Provided further, That for the Certificate 
24 
of Marriage, the marriage has not been judicially decreed annulled or declared void ab 
25 
initio as provided under the Family Code of the Philippines or under any subsequent laws 
26 
amending it. Otherwise, the person is required to submit the newly corrected copy of the 
27 
Certificate of Live Birth or the Certificate of Marriage. 
28 
 
29 


 
This provision likewise applies to reports of birth issued by Foreign Service Posts 
1 
to Filipinos born overseas which are duly registered at the Philippine Statistics Authority. 
2 
 
3 
Sec. 4. Securing of Copies.– The permanent validity herein declared 
4 
notwithstanding, no person whose information on the occurrence and characteristics of 
5 
vital events is registered in the civil registry, or the authorized representative, shall be 
6 
prevented from securing a copy of civil registry documents in such number of prints or 
7 
as often as necessary, subject to applicable payment of relevant fees prescribed the 
8 
Philippine Statistics Authority and the local civil registry office concerned. The initial 
9 
issuance of a certificate and request for replacement due to loss or damage and 
10 
reissuance upon presentation of a Certificate of Indigency, shall be free of charge. 
11 
 
12 
Sec. 
5. 
Prohibited 
Requirement.– 
National 
government 
agencies 
and 
13 
instrumentalities, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government 
14 
units, private companies and other non-government entities are prohibited from requiring 
15 
the submission of a certificate of live birth, or death or marriage printed on the most 
16 
recent version of the security paper issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority or certified 
17 
within the past six (6) months. 
18 
 
19 
Sec. 6. Non-Availability of Philippine Statistics Authority-Issued Certificate.– In all 
20 
transactions or services where a copy of the certificate of live birth, or death or marriage 
21 
is required and a PSA-issued certificate is not available, it shall be sufficient for the person 
22 
concerned or the authorized representative to submit to the end-user agency, company 
23 
or entity the original or a certified true copy of the original certificate of live birth, or 
24 
death or marriage issued and signed by the local civil registrar or those bearing the 
25 
National Statistics Office logo. 
26 
 
27 
Sec. 7. Submission of Other Documents.– The submission of a PSA-authenticated 
28 
birth certificate shall be without prejudice to the submission of other supporting 
29 
documents that the end-user agency, company or entity may use in determining the 
30 


identity of applicants, particularly those classified as special cases such as dual citizens, 
1 
female applicants with dissolved marriages, and those with late registered certificates of 
2 
live birth. 
3 
 
4 
Sec. 8. Civil Registry Database.– Within six (6) months from the effectivity of this 
5 
Act, the Philippine Statistics Authority, in coordination with the Department of Information 
6 
and Communications Technology (DICT), shall develop a civil registry database in local 
7 
civil registry offices and establish a virtual viewing facility where the certificates of live 
8 
birth, death and marriage may be verified for authenticity of the photocopy submitted. 
9 
The facility shall incorporate such controls and safeguards as are appropriate and 
10 
necessary to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the facility and the 
11 
confidentiality of the information is protected at all times, in accordance with the relevant 
12 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the “Child and Youth 
13 
Welfare Code” as amended, and Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the “Data 
14 
Privacy Act of 20212.” The Philippine Statistics Authority may charge reasonable fees for 
15 
the use of the virtual viewing facility. 
16 
 
17 
To maximize the ease and convenience offered by technological advancements, 
18 
the Philippine Statistics Authority shall continually upgrade the virtual viewing facility and 
19 
adopt appropriate policies towards the migration of the required submission of the 
20 
certificates of live birth, death and marriage into a paperless process. 
21 
 
22 
Sec. 9. Penalties.– Any person who violates Section 5 of this Act, upon conviction, 
23 
be punished with imprisonment of one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months or a 
24 
fine of not less than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Ten Thousand 
25 
Pesos (P10,000.00) or both, at the discretion of the court. 
26 
 
27 
 
If the violation is committed by a public official or employee, an accessory penalty 
28 
of temporary disqualification to hold public office shall likewise be imposed. 
29 
 
30 


 
If the violation is committed by a corporation, partnership or association, the board 
1 
of directors, partners, trustees, officials, and employees who directly participated in the 
2 
commission on the unlawful act shall be liable. 
3 
 
4 
Sec. 10. Appropriations.– The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
5 
shall be charged against the current appropriations of the National Economic and 
6 
Development Authority (NEDA). Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the 
7 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
8 
Appropriations Act. 
9 
 
10 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations.– Within sixty (60) days from the 
11 
effectivity of this Act, the National Statistician, in coordination with the Secretaries of the 
12 
Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Information and 
13 
Communications Technology, and the Director-General of the National Economic and 
14 
Development Authority shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
15 
effective implementation of this Act. 
16 
 
17 
Sec. 12. Separability Clause.– If any provisions, section or part of this Act shall be 
18 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affected, invalidate or impair 
19 
any other provisions, sections or parts hereof. 
20 
 
21 
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, rules and regulations, orders, circulars 
22 
and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this 
23 
Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
24 
 
25 
Sec. 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
26 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
27 
 
Approved,