SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 4 J, 6 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDF;RO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
"13 JUL-4 
Ml :12 
It is undeniably a State policy to promote and maintain a responsive civil registration 
system equipped with efficient and simple sets of procedure for the listing of vital occurrences 
and characteristics of a person such as birth, marriage, death and judicial and administrative 
orders. 
This bill is but in accord with the above State policy. It provides for a comprehensive 
registration system of an individual's civil status. Such comprehensiveness involves a detailed 
enumeration of the powers and functions of Civil Registrars as well as the procedures involved 
in registration. 
In view of the foregoing, the undersigned earnestly seeks the immediate passage of this 
bill. 
FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. It ,i G 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
'/3 JUL -4 Ml :12 
PROVIDING FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE CIVIL REGISTRATION SYSTEM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
I 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Civil Registration Act." 
2 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote and maintain a more 
3 
responsive civil registration system. Towards this end, standardization and modernization of 
4 
registration procedures is necessary to establish the identity of the individual for administrative 
5 
and legal purposes. Moreover, efficient and simplified procedures in recording vital events must 
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be applied in civil registration for the beuefit of the general public. 
7 
SEC. 3. Coverage. - This law shall embrace all acts affecting the civil status of persons in 
8 
the Philippines and all Filipinos abroad. 
9 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - (a) "Civil Registration" refers to the continuous, permanent 
10 
and compulsory documentation of occurrence and characteristics of vital events, including any 
II 
modifications thereof during the lifetime of a person, namely births, deaths, marriages, judicial 
12 
and administrative orders and legal instruments. 
13 
b) "Civil Register" refers to the various civil registry books where events and judicial 
14 
decrees concerning the civil status of persons are recorded, and to related certificates and 
15 
documents kept in the archives of the Local Civil Registry Office, Philippine Consulates, 
16 
National Statistics Office and Shari'a District or Circuit Courts. 
17 
c) Civil Registry Documents" refers to all certificates and documents relating to civil status 
18 
of persons which are recorded and kept in the archives of the Local Civil Registry Office, 
19 
Philippine Consulates, National Statistics Office and Shari'a District or Circuit Courts. 
20 
d) "Civil Registrar General" refers to the head of the National Statistics Office. 
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e) "Civil Registrar" refers to the head of the Local Civil Registrar Office (LCRO) or the 
2 
City or Municipal Civil Registrar (C/MCR), the Consul General, Consul or Vice Consul 
3 
and the Clerk of Shari' a District or Circuit Courts. 
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f) "District or Circuit Registrar" refers to the Clerk of Shari'a District or Circuit Court 
5 
perfonning civil registration functions with regard to Muslim marriages, divorces, 
6 
revocations of divorce and conversions under Title VI, Book Two of Presidential Decree 
7 
No. 1083, otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. 
8 
g) "Barangay Civil Registration System" refers to a strategy to facilitate civil registration at 
9 
the barangay level where all the barangay officials shall assist the CIMCR in civil 
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registration work, as provided for under Section 394(d)(5), Republic Act No. 7160, 
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otherwise known as the Local Govennnent Code of the Philippines. 
12 
h) "Legal Instruments" refers to the affidavits/affinuations pertaining to civil registration. 
13 
SEC. 5. Duties and Functions af the Civil Registrar General. - The Civil Registrar 
14 
General shall have the following duties and functions: 
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(a) Enforce the provisions of this Act; 
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(b) Prepare and issue rules and regulations pertaining to civil registration; 
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(c) Exercise technical direction and supervision over the CIMCRs and other local civil 
18 
registry officers; 
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(d) Give orders and instructions to the CIMCRs on civil registration; 
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(e) Endorse for investigation any complaint for violation of this Act and all irregularities 
21 
to the local chief executive and other duly authorized agencies; 
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(f) Reproduce and issue documents under its custody and prepare and order the printing 
23 
of necessary fonus; and 
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(g) Determine and prescribe standard fees for civil registry documents. 
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SEC. 6. Duties afthe City/Municipal Civil Registrar (VMCR). - The appointment of the 
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CIMCRs shall be mandatory for city and municipal govennnents, The CIMCR shall be 
27 
responsible for the civil registration programs in the local government unit (LGU) concerned 
28 
pursuant to this Act and other pertinent laws and implementing rules and regulations. The 
29 
CIMCR shall develop plans and strategies and upon approval thereof by the governor or mayor, 
30 
as the case may be, implement the same, particularly those which have to do with civil registry 
2 


]1rograms and projects which the mayor is empowered to implement and which the sanggunian is 
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empowered to provide for. The CIMCR shall: 
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(a) Register all registrable events occurring within their jurisdiction; 
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(b) File registrable certificates and documents presented to them for entry; 
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(c) Compile the registrable certificates and documents monthly and prepare and send any 
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information required of them by tbe Civil Registrar Genral; 
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(d) Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or document registered upon 
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payment of the proper fees; 
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(e) Order the binding, properly classified, of all certificates or documents registered 
10 
during the year; 
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(f) Send to the Civil Registrar General, within the first ten (10) days of each month, a 
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copy of entries made during the preceding month; 
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(g) Index all entries to facilitate search and identification in case any infonnation is 
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required; 
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(h) Administer oaths for civil registry purposes free of charge; 
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(i) Accept all registrable documents and judicial decreeslorders affecting the civil status 
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of persons; 
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G) File, keep and preserve in a secured place the books required by law; 
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(k) Transcribe and enter immediately upon receipt all registrable documents and judicial 
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decrees affecting the civil status of persons in the appropriate civil registry books; 
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(I) Receive applications for the insurance of a marriage license and, after determining 
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that the requirements, supporting certificates and publication thereof for the 
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prescribed period have been compiled with, issue tbe license upon payment of the 
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authorized fee to the treasurer; 
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(m)Coordinate with the Office of the Civil Registrar I General (OCRG) in conducting 
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educational campaigns for vital registration and assist in the preparation of 
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demographic and other statistics for the LGU concerned; 
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(n) Recommend to the Civil Registrar General systems and procedures relative to the 
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fonnulation of policies, rules and regulations on civil registration; 
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(0) Submit status reports on the condition of civil registry documents filed in the civil 
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registry office whenever there are changes in the previous status of files; 
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(p) Observe faithful compliance to rules and regulations pertaining to civil registration; 
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(q) Reconstruct destroyed civil registry records upon compliance with the requirements 
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and procedures established by the OCRG; and 
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(r) Make available at all times the civil registry forms in the C/MCR office. 
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SEC. 7. Civil Registry Book. - The CIMCRs shall keep and preserve in their offices the 
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following books in which they shall accordingly enter the proper record concerning the civil 
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status of persons: (1) Register of Births; (3) Register of Foundlings; (3) Register of Deaths; (4) 
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Register of Marriages; (5) Register of Court Decrees or Orders; (6) Register of Legal 
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Instruments; (7) Register of Applications for Marriage License; (8) Register of Conversions to 
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Islam; (9) Register of Muslim Divorces; (10) Register of Revocations of Muslim Divorces; (11) 
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Register of Indigenous Cultural Communities or Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) Marriage 
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Dissolutions; (12) Register oflCCs/IPs Revocations of Marriage Dissolutions; and (13) Register 
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of Administrative Orders. 
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SEC. 8. Registration and Certification of Birth. - The declaration of the physician, 
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midwife, nurse, attendant at birth, or in default thereof, the declaration of either or both parents 
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or any person who has knowledge of the facts of birth ofthe newborn child shall be sufficient for 
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the registration of birth in the civil register. The duly accomplished Certificate of Live Birth 
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(COLB) containing the above declaration shall be submitted for registration to the C/MCR of the 
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place where the birth occurred within thirty (30) days from the date of birth by the person 
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making the declaration. The COLB shall declare the following: (a) name of the child; (b) sex; (c) 
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date of birth; (d) place of birth; (e) name of mother; (f) name of father; (g) citizenship of the 
24 
mother; (h) citizenship of the father; (i) date of marriage of parents; G) place of marriage of 
25 
parents; and (k) such other data as required in the regulation to be issued. 
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Abandoned children or foundlings whose parents, guardians or relatives are unknown, or 
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children committed to an orphanage or a charitable institution with unknown facts of birth and 
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parentage, shall be registered by the finder or charitable institution concerned within thirty (30) 
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days from the date of finding or commitment of the child with the CjMCR ofthe place where the 
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child was found. A person who has not been registered with the C/MCR cifthe place where such 
31 
person was born within the prescribed period of thirty (30) days may be allowed delayed 
32 
registration. 
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A deceased person's birth may also be registered on a delayed registration basis by 
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hislher nearest kin. However, the informant and affiant must show authentic proof of the identity 
3 
of the person registered, the facts ofhislher birth and parentage, and other relevant data. 
4 
Out-of-town registration of birth may be allowed. 
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The record of a person's birth shall be kept strictly confidential and no information 
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relating thereto shall be issued except upon request by any of the following: 
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(a) The concerned person or any person authorized by himlher; 
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(b) The person's spouse, parentis or direct descendants, or guardian or institutions legally 
9 
in-charge ofhimlher, is such person is a minor; 
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(c) The court or proper public officials, when deemed absolutely necessary in 
11 
administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to determine the identity of the 
12 
person's parents or other circumstance surrounding hislher birth; or 
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(d) The nearest kin, in the case of deceased persons. 
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SEC. 9. Registration and Certification a/Death. - No human body shall be buried unless 
15 
the proper death certificate has been presented and recorded with the CIMCR. The physician 
16 
who attended to the deceased or, in his default, the health officer concerned, or in default of the 
17 
latter, any member of the family of the deceased, or any person having knowledge of the death, 
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shall report the same to the local health authorities who shall issue a death certificate and shall 
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order the same to be recorded with the CIMCR. The death certificate shall be accomplished by 
20 
the attending physician or, in his default, by the proper health officer. It shall contain the 
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following data which may be furnished by the person reporting the death (a) full name of the 
22 
deceased; (b) sex; (c) age; (d) civil status; (e) nationality; (4 date of death; (g) place of death; (h) 
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cause of death; and (i) such other data that may be required. 
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The surname used by the deceased person, when still living, will be the surname to be 
25 
used in the death celtificate. Registration shall be made within thirty (30) days from the time of 
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~eath with the C/MCR of the place where the death occurred. 
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In the absence of the health officer or his authorized representative in the place of 
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registration, or when it is a nonworking day and the health officer or his authorized 
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representative is not expected to be in I&lher office, the death should be reported within forty-
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eight (48) hours after its occurrence by the nearest kin of the deceased or by any person having 
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knowledge of the death to the mayor, any member of the sangguniang bayan, or the municipal 
32 
secretary, who shall issue and sign the medical certification portion of the Certificate of Death 
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for burial and registration purposes. 
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When the death is under medico-legal examination, or where a case of death is under 
2 
investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or other investigative agency of the 
3 
government, and where the body of the deceased is subjected to an autopsy or examination by 
4 
the medico-legal officers and the deceased has not been registered in the place of death, the head 
5 
of the NBI or other investigative agency or their authorized representative shall cause the 
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registration of such death through the health officer of the city or municipality where the death 
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occurred. The medico-legal officer shall accomplish and sign the medical certification of the 
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Certificate of Death. 
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Registration of fetal death shall follow the same procedures in the registration of death. A 
10 
death not registered within the prescribed thirty (30) day period may be allowed delayed 
11 
registration with the C/MCR of the place where the death occurred. 
12 
Out-of-town registration of death may also be allowed. 
13 
SEC. 10. Registration of Marriage License. - The local civil registrar concerned shall 
14 
enter all applications for marriage licenses filed with himlher in a registry book strictly in the 
15 
order in which the same are received. Helshe shall record in said book the names of the 
16. applicants, the date on which the marriage license was issued and such other data as may be 
17 
necessary. 
18 
SEC. 11. Application for Marriage License. - All applications for marriage license shall 
19 
be governed by the pertinent provisions of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the 
20 
Family Code of the Philippines, as amended. 
21 
SEC. 12. Registration and Certification of Marriage. - All civil officers, priests, 
22 
ministers, wali, imam and tribal leaders authorized to solemnize marriage shall send four copies 
23 
of the Certificate of Marriage for registration with the CIMCR of the place where the marriage 
24 
was solemnized within fifteen (15) days after the marriage. Marriages exempt from the license 
25 
requirement shall be registered within thirty (30) days after the marriage in the city or 
26 
municipality where it was solemnized. 
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A person whose marriage has not yet been registered with the CIMCR of the place where 
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the marriage was solemnized or celebrated may be allowed delayed registration. 
29 
Out-of-town registration of marriage may also be allowed. 
30 
SEC. 13. Multiple Registration. - In cases of multiple registration of birth, marriage or 
31 
death, the first duly registered document shall prevail. However, in cases of multiple marriages 
32 
occurring to the same parties, it shall be the first valid marriage that shall prevail. 
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SEC. 14. Registration of Solemnizing Officers. - Except as may otherwise be provided by 
2 
law or existing rules, all solemnizing officers shall be registered with the Office of the Civil 
3 
Registrar General. The C/MCRs may assist the local chief executive in determining documents 
4 
pertaining to the existence of religious sects. 
5 
SEC. 15. Registration of Court Orders. - In case a court issues an order concerning the 
6. status of a person, it shall be the duty of the clerk of court to advise the successful petitioner to 
7 
have the order registered with the C/MCR of the place where the court is functioning. If a person 
8 
9ther than the petitioner shall register the order, the CIMCR shall verify if the copy of the order 
9 
is authentic. Unverified copies shall be refused registration. The LCRO where the event of the 
10 
order was registered shall forward a certified true copy of the order to the CIMCR where the 
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event affected was originally registered. The latter shall make the proper annotations in the 
12 
document and in the applicable registry book. He/she shall likewise send a certified true copy of 
13 
the annotated document and the registered court order to the OCRG. Each corrected document 
14 
shall be reported to the OCRG during the usual reporting month. All court orders shall be 
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registered within fifteen (15) days after its finality. Registration after the prescribed period shall 
16 
be considered delayed registration. 
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All court orders shall be effected through annotations in the civil registry document 
18 
except in adoption cases where the child shall be entitled to the issuance of an amended birth 
19 
certificate. 
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SEC. 16. Registration of Adoption. - After the court decision on an adoption has become 
21 
final and executory, the Original Certificate of Live Birth shall be amended. An amended 
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certificate of live birth of the adopted shall be issued by the C/MCR of the place where the birth 
23 
of the adopted child was recorded. It shall have the same entries as those appearing in the 
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a) Name of the adopted - the first name of the adopted child shall be the same as that in the 
25 
original certificate of live birth unless the order of adoption carried an order changing it 
26 
to another name. The middle name of the adopted child shall be the same as the middle 
27 
name of the adopter, except when the husband and the wife jointly adopted the child, in 
28 
which case, the middle name of the adopted shall be the surname of the adopting mother. 
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The surname of the adopted child shall be that of the adopter. If the husband and wife 
30 
jointly adopt the child, the adopted child shall use the surname of the adopting father. 
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b) Names of parents - the names of the natnral parents of the adopted child shall be 
32 
snbstituted by the names of the adopting parents whose names shall be indicated in the 
33 
appropriate spaces in the amended certificate of live birth as the father or mother, as the 
34 
case may be; and 
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c) Other information - other information about the adopting parents such as citizenship and 
2 
religion shall be indicated in the appropriate spaces in the amended certificate of live 
3 
birth, including the date and place of marriage of the adopting parents, in cases where the 
4 
husband and wife jointly made the adoption. In case the adopted child is a foundling, the 
5 
basis for issuance of an amended certificate oflive birth shall be the court order. 
6 
SEC. 17. Registration of Presumptive Death. - A judicial order or decree declaring a 
7 
person presumably dead shall be registered with the C/MCR ofthe place where the first marriage 
8 
was registered. Annotations for the purpose of contracting a subsequent marriage shall be 
9 
recorded in the marriage register as well as in the marriage certificate. 
10 
SEC. 18. Registration of Court Orders Decided Abroad. - All foreign court orders 
11 
involving civil status of persons shall be registered in the LCRO of Manila. 
12 
SEC. 19. Registration of Legal Instruments. - As a general rule, all legal instruments 
13 
shall be registered in the civil registry of the place where they were executed except the 
14 
following: 
15 
a) Affidavit of reappearance - where the parties to the subsequent man1age are residing; 
16 
b) Marriage settlement - where the marriage was recorded; and 
17 
c) Admission of paternity, acknowledgment, legitimation, voluntary emancipation of 
18 
minor, artificial insemination - where the birth of the child was recorded. All legal 
19 
instruments executed abroad shall be registered in the LCRO of Manila including all 
20 
legal instruments which may be executed in the Philippines if the vital events referred 
21 
to in the latter instruments occurred in a foreign country and are duly registered with 
22 
the Philippine Consulate. All legal instruments shall be effected through annotation in 
23 
the civil registry document. 
24 
SEC. 20. Registration of Affidavit of Reappearance. - A sworn statement of the facts and 
25 
circumstances of reappearance shall be recorded in the civil registry office of the residence of the 
26 
parties to the subsequent marriage at the instance of any interested person, with due notice to the 
27 
spouses of the subsequent marriage and without prejudice to the fact of reappearance being 
28 
judicially determined in case such fact is disputed. 
29 
SEC. 21. Registration of Affidavit of Acknowledgment OY Affidavitt of Admission of 
30 
Paternity. - It shall be the duty of the parentis who executed the affidavit of acknowledgment or 
31 
of admission of paternity to send the original copy of the affidavit to the C/MCR where the birth 
32 
of the child was registered, for registration in the Register of Legal Instruments and proper 
33 
annotation in the Register of Births. 
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1 
SEC. 22. Authorization or Ratification of Artificial Insemination. - Children conceived 
2 
as a result of artificial insemination of the wife with the spenn of the husband or that of a donor 
3 
or both shall be considered legitimate children of the husband and wife: Provided, That both of 
4 
them authorized or ratified such insemination in a written instrument executed and signed by 
5 
both of them before the birth of the child. The instrument shall be recorded in the civil register 
6 
together with the birth certificate ofthe child. 
7 
SEC. 23. Option to Elect Philippine Citizenship. - The option to elect Philippine 
8 
citizenship in accordance with Section (3), Article N of the Constitution shall be expressed in a 
9 
statement to be signed and sworn to by the party concerned before any officer authorized to 
10 
administer oaths, and shall be filed and registered with the C/MCR of the place where the 
11 
instrument was executed. Election of Philippine citizenship executed, subscribed and sworn to 
12 
before a Consular Officer of the Philippine Embassy abroad, together with the oath of allegiance, 
13 
shall be registered with the LCRO of Manila. 
14 
SEC. 24. Registration of Repatriation. - TIle instrument of repatriation and the oath of 
15 
allegiance to the Constitution and the government of the Philippines shall be filed with the 
16 
C/MCR of the place where the instrument was executed: Provided, That if the Philippine 
17 
citizenship is reacquired by naturalization, the order of the court granting citizenship shall be 
18 
recorded in the Register of Court Order. 
19 
SEC. 25. Registration of Muslim Filipinos, Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) or 
20 
Indigenous Peuples (IPS) and Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP). - Muslims 
21 
Filipinos, ICCs/IPs and CNSP, by reason of their sociocultural, religious and peculiarities shall 
22 
be registered as follows: 
23 
a) Muslim Filipinos civil registration shall be governed by Presidential Decree No. 
24 
1083, Executive Order No. 157 and Administrative Order No.1, Series of2005. 
25 
b) ICCs/IPs civil registration shall be governed by Republic Act No. 8371 and 
26 
Administrative Order No.3, Series of 2004. 
27 
c) CNSP civil registration shall follow the procedures provided under OCRG 
28 
Memorandum Circular 2004-01 and other promulgations by the OCRG in 
29 
coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other 
30 
concerned agencies. 
31 
SEC. 26. Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS). - All elected or appointed 
32 
barangay officials shall assist in the civil registration within their area of jurisdiction through the 
33 
BCRS. The OCRG shall issue guidelines governing the implementation of the System. 
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SEC. 27. Civil Registry Documents are Public Documents. - The registry books making 
up the civil register and all documents relating thereto shall be considered public documents and 
shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of the facts therein contained. They shall be open to the 
public during office hours and shall be kept in a secured place that shall be furnished to the civil 
registrar at the expense or thru the funds of the municipality concerned. The civil registrar shall 
not, under any circumstances, pennit any document entrusted to &/her care to be removed from 
his/her office, except upon lawful order of the court, in which case the proper receipt shall be 
secured. The civil registrar may issue certified copies of any documents filed upon payment of 
proper fees fixed by municipal ordinance. 
SEC. 28. Expense of the Office of the Civil Registrar. - All expenses in connection with 
the establishment and operations of the civil registrar's office shall be paid out of municipal 
funds and for this purpose, the sanggunian of municipalities or cities concerned shall make the 
necessary appropriation available. 
SEC. 29. Fees. - Registration of births, I foundlings, deaths and marriages is mandatory 
and compulsory and shall be free of charge. For registration of court orders, legal instruments 
and registrable administrative orders, a standard fee shall be collected. The LGU may collect 
reasonable service fees. For issuance of copies of civil registry documents, a standard fee shall 
be collected. 
SEC. 30. False Statements. - Any person who shaH knowingly make false statements in 
the forms furnished and present the same for entry in the civil registers shall be penalized in 
accordance with law. 
SEC. 31. Failure to Report and other Violations. - Any person whose duty is to report 
any fact concerning the civil status of persons and who knowingly fails to perform such duty, or 
any person violating the provisions of this Act shaH be punished in accordance with law. Any 
eivil registrar who fails to properly perform hislher duties in accordance with the provisions of 
this Act or of the regulations issued there under shall be punished in accordance with law. Any 
violation of the preceding provisions shall be penalized by imprisomnent of one year or a fine 
ranging from Five thousand pesos (PhP5,000.00) to Ten thousand pesos (PhPlO,OOO.OO), or both, 
at the discretion of the court. The attending physician, nurse, midwife, hospital administrator or 
any person in charge of the certificate oflive birth who knowingly fails or withholds the delivery 
of copies of the certificate to the CIMCR shall be penalized by imprisomnent of not more than 
six months or a fine of not more than Five thousand pesos (PhP5,000.00), or both, at the 
discretion of the court. 
Any officer, priest or minister who: (1) Solemnizes marriage without being authorized by 
the Civil Registrar General; (2) Upon solemnizing marriage, refuses to exhibit his authorization 
10 


1 
when called upon to do so by the parties, their parents or guardians; (3) Authorizes the 
2 
immediate solemnization of a marriage that is subsequently declared illegal by his church, 
3 
religion or sect, the regulations and practices of which require bans or pUblications previous to 
4 
the solemnization of marriage; or (4) Solemnizes marriage in violation of thy provisions of this 
S 
Act, shall be punished with imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, or a fine 
6 
ranging from One thousand pesos (PhPl,OOO.OO) to Five thousand pesos (PhPS,OOO.OO), or the 
7 
revocation of his/her authority to solemnize marriage, or all three penalties or combination 
8 
thereof, at the discretion of the court. Any officer, priest or minister who fails to deliver copies of 
9 
the certificate of marriage to the CIMCR within the period fixed by law shall be punished by 
10 
imprisomnent of not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than Five thousand pesos 
11 
(PhPS,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
12 
SEC. 32. Mandatory Review. - This Act shall undergo a mandatory reVIew of its 
13 
provisions by Congress every ten (10) years. 
14 
SEC. 33. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held to be 
IS 
invalid or unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall 
16 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
17 
SEC. 34. Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules, regulations, orders, memoranda or circulars 
18 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby revoked, repealed or modified accordingly. 
19 . 
SEC. 35. Retroactivity. - This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as it does not 
20 
prejndice or impair vested or acqnired rights. 
21 
SEC. 36. E;jJectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
22 
the Official Gazette or in any two national newspapers of general circulation. 
23 
Approved, 
24 
2S 
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