Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE;
Quezon City, Metro Manila

REPRESEN.
CHAE ne
I$" ReCeeD
P oy eT JUL 2013

TIME:
Bo:

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _4

Introduced by Hon. LEOPOLDO N. BATAOIL

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill recognizes Local Civil Registry personnel all over the country as
key players in securing the proofs of identity and status of every citizen in our
country. The government should provide for a program of human resources
development for the civil registry personnel nationwide to achieve and maintain
the necessary reservoir of talent and manpower that will sustain the need of an
increasing population. The Bill, therefore, seeks: (a) to provide for a more
responsive and accountable local government structure whereby local government
units shall be given more powers, authority, responsibilities, and resources; (b) to
promote and improve the social and economic well-being of the Local Civil
Registry personnel, their living and working conditions and terms of employment;
(c) to define the functions and responsibilities of the Local Civil Registry Offices;
(d) to develop their skills and capabilities in order that they will be more
responsive and better equipped to deliver various programs and projects attached
thereto to their mandate; and (e) to encourage those with proper qualification and

excellent abilities to join and remain in government service.

In view.of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly

sought.

LEOPOLDO N. BAYAOIL

Represent{tive, 2 Distgietf Pangasinan


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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL No._*+°*

Introduced by Hon. LEOPOLDO N. BATAOIL _

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill recognizes Local Civil Registry personnel all over the country as
key players in securing the proofs of identity and status of every citizen in our
country. The government should provide for a program of human resources
development for the civil registry personnel nationwide to achieve and maintain
the necessary reservoir of talent and manpower that will sustain the need of an
increasing population. The Bill, therefore, seeks: (a) to provide for a more
responsive and accountable local government structure whereby local government
units shall be given more powers, authority, responsibilities, and resources; (b) to
promote and improve the social and economic well-being of the Local Civil
Registry personnel, their living and working conditions and terms of employment;
(c) to define the functions and responsibilities of the Local Civil Registry Offices;
(d) to develop their skills and capabilities in order that they will be more
responsive and better equipped to deliver various programs and projects attached
thereto to their mandate; and (e) to encourage those with proper qualification and

excellent abilities to join and remain in government service.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly

sought.

LEOPOLDO N. BAYAOIL

Representktive, 2™ Distsierof Pangasinan


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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
a
HOUSE BIILNOM Te

Introduced by Hon. LEOPOLDO N. BATAOIL

*eokET AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR
LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY PERSONNEL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for
Local Civil Registry Personnel”.

Section2. Declaration of Policy and Objectives. It is hereby
declared the policy of the State to provide meaningful local autonomy
through the process of decentralization to local government units in order to
enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities
and make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals.
Towards this end the Act aims, (a) to provide for a more responsive and
accountable local government structure whereby local government units
shall be given more powers, authority, responsibilities, and resources; (Book
I Title 1, Section 2a of RA 7160), (b) to promote and improve the social and
economic well-being of the Local Civil Registry personnel, their living and
working conditions and terms of employment; (c) to define the functions and
responsibilities of the Local Civil Registry Offices; (d) to develop their skills
and capabilities in order that they will be more responsive and better
equipped to deliver various programs and projects attached thereto to their
mandate; and (e) to encourage those with proper qualification and excellent
abilities to join and remain in government service (RA 7035 Sec. 2).

Section 3. Definition. For purposes of this Act, “Local Civil
Registrar” shall mean the employee, who as a Local Department Head, is
duly appointed by the Local Chief Executive and concurred by the Civil
Service Commission as such, and all staff under him/her who are likewise
duly appointed and concurred to render services as Local Civil Registry
Office personnel, regardless of their employment status.

Section 4. Qualification. (a) No person shall be appointed Local
Civil Registrar unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the
Local Government Unit concerned, of good moral character, a holder of a
master's degree preferably in public administration from a recognized
college or university, and a first grade civil service eligible or its equivalent.
He must have acquired experience in civil registry work for at least five (5)
years in the case of the city and three (3) years in the case of the municipal


(RA 7160 Art. 9, Sec. 479a), and (b) for those of lower ranks within the
Local Civil Registry Office, shall meet the minimum requirements
prescribed by the Local Government Unit or the Civil Service Commission.

Section 5. Duties and Functions. The Local C il Registrar shall take
charge of the Civil Registry Office and shall have the following functions
and duties:

a. Shall be responsible for the civil registration program in the local
government unit concerned, pursuant to the Civil Registry Law, as
‘amended, the Civil Code, as amended, and other pertinent laws,
rules and regulations issued to implement them:

b. Develop plans and strategies and upon approval of the Mayor
implement the same, particularly those which have to do with civil
registry programs and projects:

c. Accept all registrable documents, judicial and quasi-judicial
decrees affecting the civil status of persons;

d. File, keep and preserve in a secure place the registry books and

documents as required by law:

Transcribe and enter upon receipt all registrable documents,

judicial and guasi-judicial decrees affecting the civil status of

persons in the appropriate civil registry books:

f. Furnish the Office of the Civil Registrar-General, within a
prescribed period, the fourth carbon copy of registered documents
required by law

g. Issue certified transcript or copies of all local civil regi
documents including but not limited to birth, death and marriage
certificates: Provided that only certified true copies of original in
the local civil registry or transcription thereof shall be considered
valid on all legal purposes both local and foreign:

ry

h. Receive applications for the issuance of marriage license and, after
determining that the requirements and supporting certificates and
publication thereof for the prescribed period have been complied
with, issue the license upon payment of the authorized fees:

i. Perform quasi-judicial functions in accordance with RA 9048, and

implement RA 9255. and other pertinent laws that may be
enacted:

j. Submit periodic status report on the condition of civil registry
documents filed in the civil registry office:

k. Coordinate with the NSO in conducting education campaign for
vital registration fir vital registration and assist in the preparation
of demographic and other statisties for the LGU concerned: and

L. Exercise such other powers and performs such other duties and
functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

In the discharge of its duties and functions, the Local Civil Registry
Office shall exercise utmost conscience and dignity and indiscretion to race,


gender, religion, nationality, party politics, social standing or capacity to
pay.

Section 6. Performance Evaluation. As established under CSC Rules
and Regulations on performance evaluation and subject to the internal rules
thereof of the concerned Local Government Unit, the Local Civil Registry
personnel shall be subject to a semestral performance evaluation by the
concerned Local Chief Executive.

The performance evaluation shall consider foremost the improvement
of individual employee efficiency and organizational effectiveness. The
Local Civil Registry personnel shall be informed of the result of their
performance evaluation:

Section 7. Salaries and Benetits. The Local Civil Registry Personnel
shall be entitled to the following salaries and benefits, as provided by law
and ordinane

a. Basic Monthly Salary. The basic monthly salary of a Local Civil
Registrar may be higher but not lower than the prevailing rate for
Salary Grade 24 of the National Agencies, subject to the provisions
of RA 6758; while those of lower ranks shall receive the prevailing
rate equivalent to salary grade in the national agencies;

b. Honorarium. In the performance of his/her quasi-judicial functions
pursuant to RA 9048, the LCR shall be entitled to a monthly
honorarium as prescribed by the Joint Commission of the DILG,
CSC, and DBM;

¢. Additional © Monetary and ~~ Non-Monetary _ Benefits.
Notwithstanding RA 6758 and other pertinent laws and circulars,
the LCR and other LCRO personnel. as appropriate, shall also be
entitled to Representation Allowance and Traveling Allowance,
ADCOM, PERA, Hazard Pay, Longevity Pay, Salary Increments,
Productivity Pay, Cash Gift, 13" Month Pay, Overtime Pay,
Compensatory Overtime Credit (COC), Compensatory Time-Off
(CTO), Monetization of Leave Credits, Medical Allowance.
Uniform Allowance, Compensation for Injuries, Leave Benefits,
and Study Leave, among others, as may be prescribed by the Joint
Commission on Compensation and Benefits.

Section 8. Right to Self-Organization. The Local Civil Registry
Personnel shall have the right to freely form, join or assist organization or
unions for purposes not contrary to law in order to defend and protect their
mutual interests and to obtain redress of their grievances through peaceful
concerted activities.

Section 9. Freedom from Interference or Coercion. It shall be
unlawful for any person to commit any act of interference or coercion in the
discharge of the Local Civil Registry functions.

ection 10. Administrative Charges. Administrative charges against a
Local Civil Registrar and LCRO personnel shall be heard by a committee in


the Local Government Unit composed of the HRMO, Representative of the
Department Heads or Rank and File, as appropriate, a Representative of the
accredited employees’ association, and the President of the Local Civil
Registrars Association in the Province where the LGU is located, without
prejudice to the Representation of the Philippine Association of Civil
Registrars. The committee shall submit its findings and recommendations to
the Local Chief Executive and the Civil Service Commission within thirty
(30) days from the termination of the hearing.

Section 11. Safeguard in Disciplinary Procedures. In every
disciplinary proceeding, the Local Civil Registry Personnel shall have:

a. the right to be informed, in writing, of the charges;

in the case;

b. the right to full access to the evidences

c. the right to defend him/herself and to be defended by a
representative of his/her choice and/or by his/her organization,
adequate time being given to him/her for the preparation of his/her
defense:

d. the right to confront witnesses presented against him/her and
common witnesses in his/her behalf:

€. the right to appeal to designated authorities;

f. the right to reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in
his/her defense in case of exoneration or dismissal of the charges:
and

g. such other rights as will insure fairness and impartiality during the
proceedings.

Section 12. Rules and Regulations. In consultation with the
Association of Civil Registrars and other agencies, the DILG shall formulate
and prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions
of this Act.

Section 13. Mandatory Review. This Act shall undergo a mandatory
review on its provisions every ten (10) years to make the law more
responsive to the needs of the times. The review shall be made by Congress
which shall conduct public hearings and record relevant testimonies of
functionaries in the civil registration system which shall be the basis of
amendments or modification of certain provisions.

Section 14. Penal Provision. Any person who shall willfully interfere
with, restrain or coerce the Local Civil Registrar, or his staff, in the exer
of his/her rights and functions or shail in any manner commit any act in
violation of any of the provisions of this Act. upon conviction, shall be
punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand pesos
(P100,000.00) but not more than Two Hundred ty Thousand pesos
(P250,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than One (1) year or both at the
discretion of the court.



If the offender is a public official, the court, in addition to the
penalties provided in the preceding paragraph, may impose the additional
penalty of disqualification from public office.

Section 15. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is
declared invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected
thereby shall remain in force and effect.

Section 16. Repealing Clause. All laws, PDs, Executive Orders, and

their implementing rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 17. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.