Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH (20th) CONGRESS 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
House Bill No. ______ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by 
Rep. ROBERT NAZAL 
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT  
STRENGTHENING THE UNIVERSAL AND TIMELY CIVIL REGISTRATION IN 
THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED AND 
TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED BIRTH REGISTRATION SYSTEM, MANDATING 
INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Civil registration, particularly of births, is the cornerstone of legal identity and access to 
fundamental rights and public services. Despite decades of civil registration initiatives, 
the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reports that approximately 3.7 million Filipinos 
remain unregistered. This persistent gap is especially pronounced in geographically 
isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), including remote islands, upland barangays, 
and indigenous and marginalized communities. 
The absence of timely birth registration has far-reaching consequences. Without a birth 
certificate, individuals face barriers to accessing education, healthcare, social 
protection, and legal employment. It also limits their ability to participate in democratic 
processes and exercise full citizenship rights. 
Current legal frameworks, including Senate Bill No. 408, primarily address the 
simplification of late registration procedures. While these are valuable efforts, they are 
inherently reactive. This proposed measure adopts a proactive, preventive, and 
systems-based approach. It envisions a community-based and technology-enabled birth 
registration system that brings civil registration services closer to the people, especially 
in underserved areas. By empowering local government units (LGUs), community 
health workers, and indigenous leaders, supported by digital tools and mobile 
registration units, this bill seeks to ensure that birth registration occurs at or near the 
time of birth. 
July 24, 2025
11:27 am
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Further, the bill mandates robust inter-agency coordination, leveraging the capacities of 
the PSA, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of 
Health (DOH), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), 
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and other relevant institutions. 
This integrated approach strengthens institutional accountability and ensures data 
interoperability, accuracy, and timeliness. 
In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, providing legal identity for all, 
including birth registration, this measure affirms the State’s commitment to inclusive 
governance, human rights, and digital transformation. 
By addressing systemic barriers and operational inefficiencies, this bill will help realize 
the vision of universal and timely civil registration, ensuring that no Filipino is left behind 
from birth. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Rep. ROBERT NAZAL 
Representative 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH (20th)  CONGRESS 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
House Bill No. ______ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by 
Rep. ROBERT NAZAL 
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT  
STRENGTHENING THE UNIVERSAL AND TIMELY CIVIL REGISTRATION IN 
THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED AND 
TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED BIRTH REGISTRATION SYSTEM, MANDATING 
INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF 
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 “Universal and Timely Birth Registration Act of 2025.” 
SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 
It is hereby declared the policy of the State to ensure that every Filipino is granted a 
legal identity through universal, timely, and accessible civil registration services, 
regardless of geographical location, socioeconomic condition, or cultural background. 
The State recognizes that legal identity is fundamental to the enjoyment of human 
rights, access to basic services, and full participation in society. 
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In pursuit of this policy, the State shall: 
 
A.​
Strengthen and institutionalize mechanisms for the universal and timely 
registration of births as a foundational public service and legal right; 
B.​
Leverage digital technologies and interoperable platforms to modernize the civil 
registration system, improve data accuracy, and expand service delivery to remote 
and marginalized communities; 
 
C.​
Establish and support community-based, health-linked birth registration systems, 
particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), in 
partnership with barangay units, health institutions, and civil society; and 
 
D.​
Promote robust inter-agency collaboration across national government agencies, 
local government units (LGUs), and development partners to ensure a 
coordinated, inclusive, and rights-based approach to civil registration, leaving no 
Filipino child undocumented. 
 
 
SECTION 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS. 
 
As used in this Act: 
 
A.​
Birth Registration - refers to the official recording of the birth of a person in the civil 
registry 
 
B.​
GIDA - refers to the geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, as defined 
by the Department of Health 
 
C.​
Community Civil Registrar (CCR) - refers to a trained barangay-based official 
accredited by the PSA to facilitate on-site registration 
 
D.​
Digital Civil Registry System (DCRS) - refers to a secure, cloud-based national 
registry system managed by the PSA to enable real-time digital registration 
 
E.​
Health-Linked Registration - refers to an integrated model where birth notifications 
are transmitted by health facilities to civil registrars within 24 hours 
 
F.​
Unregistered Person - refers to a person whose birth has not been officially 
recorded with the civil registrar 
 
 
SECTION 4. UNIVERSAL TIMELY BIRTH REGISTRATION AS A PUBLIC SERVICE. 
 
To uphold every Filipino citizen’s right to a legal identity, birth registration shall be 
recognized as a fundamental public service and governed by the following principles: 
 
 


 
A.​
Birth registration shall be free of charge for all Filipino citizens, regardless of 
birthplace, socio-economic status, or location; 
 
B.​
Birth registration shall be compulsory and completed within thirty (30) days from 
the date of birth; 
 
C.​
Birth registration services shall be readily available and integrated into the 
operations of all public hospitals, rural health units (RHUs), birthing facilities, and 
other accredited health institutions; 
 
D.​
For births occurring at home or outside health facilities, registration shall be 
proactively facilitated by barangay-based personnel, including barangay health 
workers, civil registration agents, and other designated local officers, in 
coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Local Civil Registry 
Office. 
 
 
SECTION 5. COMMUNITY BASED CIVIL REGISTRATION SYSTEM. 
 
A.​
Barangay Civil Registration Missions shall be conducted quarterly in all 
Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) by a joint team 
composed of representatives from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Local 
Government Units (LGUs), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Social 
Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
 
B.​
Community Civil Registrar (CCR) shall be designated in every barangay to: 
 
1.​
Conduct home visits to identify and register unregistered children; 
2.​
Assist families in completing and submitting required civil registration 
documents; and 
3.​
Submit verified and endorsed records to the LGU Civil Registrar and the PSA 
on a monthly basis. 
​
 
SECTION 6. DIGITAL CIVIL REGISTRY SYSTEM (DCRS). 
 
A.​
The PSA shall develop, deploy, and maintain a Digital Civil Registry System 
(DCRS) that shall: 
 
1.​
Facilitate both online and offline modes of civil registration; 
 
2.​
Integrate biometric identity verification in coordination with the Philippine 
Identification System (PhilSys); 
 
3.​
Enable the real-time generation and issuance of secure, electronic 
Certificates of Live Birth (eCOLB); 
 


 
 
4.​
Incorporate end-to-end encryption, data integrity protocols, and data privacy 
protections, in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. 
 
B.​
All city and municipal civil registry offices shall be fully interfaced and interoperable 
with the DCRS within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
 
SECTION 7. MANDATORY HEALTH FACILITY LINKAGES.  
  
A.​
All public and private health facilities shall be mandated to transmit birth 
notifications to the Local Civil Registrar within twenty-four (24) hours from the time 
of delivery. 
 
B.​
Midwives and traditional birth attendants operating in rural and remote areas shall 
be required to report births to the CCR or barangay secretary within seventy-two 
(72) hours of delivery. 
 
C.​
The Department of Health (DOH) shall integrate civil registration education and 
protocols into all maternal, newborn, and child health programs, including training 
of health workers and birth attendants. 
 
 
SECTION 8. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.  
 
To ensure policy harmonization and effective implementation, the following agencies 
shall constitute the Joint Civil Registration Oversight Council (J-CROC): 
 
1.​
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) – Chair 
2.​
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
3.​
Department of Health (DOH) 
4.​
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 
5.​
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) 
6.​
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
 
The Council shall be responsible for: 
 
A.​
Developing implementation guidelines and standard operating procedures; 
B.​
Coordinating and monitoring mobile and barangay-level registration missions; 
C.​
Overseeing the systems integration and secure data sharing among 
agencies; and 
D.​
Establishing and tracking compliance metrics, performance benchmarks, and 
annual reporting protocols. 
 
 
 


 
SECTION 9. SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND INFORMAL 
SETTLERS.   
 
The NCIP, in coordination with LGUs and civil society organizations, shall ensure the 
culturally appropriate, linguistically accessible, and identity-respecting registration of 
Indigenous Peoples (IPs), consistent with their customs and traditions. 
On the other hand, the DSWD, in partnership with local social welfare offices and 
accredited non-government organizations, shall prioritize the registration of: 
 
1.​
Informal settlers; 
2.​
Homeless individuals and families; and 
3.​
Children in street situations, orphanages, or alternative care systems.​
 
 
SECTION 10. INCENTIVES AND PENALTIES.  
 
A.​
Barangays that achieve and maintain at least ninety-five percent (95%) birth 
registration coverage annually shall be eligible for performance-based grants 
under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). 
 
B.​
Health facilities and LGUs that fail to comply with mandated reporting 
requirements without justifiable cause may be subject to administrative sanctions 
as determined by their respective oversight agencies. 
 
C.​
Parents and guardians shall not be penalized for the late or non-registration of 
their children; however, proactive efforts and incentives shall be introduced to 
encourage timely compliance. 
​
 
SECTION 11. FUNDING. 
 
The initial implementation of this Act shall be funded through the following sources: 
 
A.​
Appropriations provided under the General Appropriations Act (GAA); 
B.​
Existing and future allocations under the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) 
budget; 
C.​
Official Development Assistance (ODA) and grant mechanisms supporting digital 
identity, data governance, and civil registration initiatives. 
 
Subsequent funding shall be included in the annual budgets of implementing agencies. 
 
 
SECTION 12. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Philippine Statistics Authority, 
in coordination with the Joint Civil Registration Oversight Council (J-CROC), shall 
 


 
promulgate the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the effective 
enforcement of this Act. 
 
 
 
 
SECTION 13. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.  
 
If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the provisions not 
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. ​ 
 
 
SECTION 14.  REPEALING CLAUSE.  
 
All laws, executive orders, proclamations, rules, regulations, and other issuances or 
parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended 
accordingly. 
 
 
SECTION 15. EFFECTIVITY. 
 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in the 
Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
 
Approved,