Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4612
Introduced by Representative Romulo “Kid” V. Pea, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Civil registration is the recording of vital events in a person’s life
(e.g., birth, death) and is a fundamental function of the national government.
Birth registration establishes an individual’s legal identity at birth. Having
a legal identity, name, nationality, proof of age, and the related are important
human rights and enables individuals to exercise their rights (e.g., to vote)
and enjoy various government, social, and private services.

Vital statistics are statistics on these vital events and of the persons
concerned. The availability of reliable and up-to-date vital statistics depends
on the level of development of civil registration. Having an effective civil
registration and vital statistics system (CRVS) system is critical for
planning and monitoring programs across several sectors.

A well-functioning (CRVS) system registers all births and deaths, issues
birth and death certificates, and compiles and disseminates vital statistics,
including cause of death information. It may also record marriages and
divorces.

In a geographically dispersed country with over 7,100 islands, the
process of collecting, compiling, processing, and validating CRVS data prove
to be a continuing challenge. Previous methods of surveys in the different
municipalities prove to be costly in effort, in time and in money. Coordination
with Local Government Units (LGU) is key to ensure accurate, complete, and
timely collection and processing of CRVS data, Additionally, cultural
barriers especially among certain populations like Muslim Filipinos and
indigenous peoples and financial barriers among poor and those in remote and
far-flung areas hinder complete and timely registration. To date however,


varying CRVS practices and support are noted among different LGUs. Still,
the outdated laws and ordinances are needed to be reviewed.

This proposed measure proposes to establish a civil registration and
vital statistics system (CRVS) that would provide for free, accessible,
simple and expeditious birth registration for all, especially children, with
no discrimination. Such a system is envisioned to be more inclusive through
the establishment of a culturally sensitive registration process, addressing
the unique cultural practices and identification systems of indigenous
peoples.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly

sought.



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

18th Congress
Ist Regular Session

House Bil'No_4612

Introduced by ROMULO “KID” PENA, JR.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE CIVIL
REGISTRATION AND VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

‘See, 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Comprehensive and Responsive Civil
Registration and Vital Statistics Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy — The State shall promote and maintain an efficient, responsive,
inclusive, and accessible civil registration and vital statistics system. Towards this end,
standardization and modernization of registration procedures is necessary to establish the
identity of an individual for administrative and legal purposes. Moreover, efficient and
simplified procedures in recording vital events must be applied in civil registration in order to
establish the most precise identity of an individual for the benefit of the general public.

The State declares the registration of all births, deaths, and marriages without discrimination
as a national State policy.

The state seeks to harmonize this policy with national frameworks on civil registration on the
principle of inclusivity, accessibility and cultural-sensitivity, covering the Code of Muslim
Personal Laws (PD 1083), recognizing children born to parents below the marrying age and
‘out of wedlock (RA 9858) and allowing illegitimate children to use the surname of their father
(RA 9255). The national state policy envisions to build an efficient civil registry system,
comprising the rectification of errors in terms of name, birthdate, sex without the need of
judicial order (RA 1072) , ease in declaring a child legally-available for adoption (RA 9523)
‘and registering children in cases of rectified birth simulation ( RA 11222). The State concedes
through the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 in promoting the welfare and rights of
children, by reducing their vulnerability.

In the implementation of the policy stated above, the State, in enacting this Civil Registration
and Vital Statistics Act, institutionalizes and hereby maintains a legal framework related to the

1


Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), ensuring a system that provides equal access
that is affordable, available, and that provides protection of the rights of all citizens, especially
children. Such system is also ensuring the gathering of statistics and easier retrieval and
recording of statistics.

‘The enactment of this policy, reaffirms the commitment of the State to the international
standards and recommendations, according to the principles of the universal human right to be
recognized as a person before the law (UDHR Art.VJ), to children’s right to nationality,
registration after birth (UN CRC Art. Vil), the right to identity (UN CRC Art. VID), the right
to be protected from discrimination based on race, sex, colour, language, religion, national or
social origins (ICCPR Art. XXIV), the right to nationality of persons with disabilities (CRPD
Art. XVIII) , the right of adolescents to birth registration ( UNCRC GC 20, Art. VIII), the right
of children in street situations to be proactively supported to obtain legal identity documents
and the right of all children at all ages to free, accessible, simple and expeditious birth
registration (UN CRC GC 21, Art. XV), the right of all Filipino migrant workers to be
recognized as a person of the law (ICMW, Art. XXIV) on CRVS, and to steadfastly adhere to
the Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children (RPA-EVAC) in
the ASEAN region.

The State shall endeavor to facilitate the realization of the people’s rights and support
‘good governance, health and development through the universal and responsive CRVS
system, In this light, the State shall work towards reaching the following goals from the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration of Civil Registration in
Southeast Asia:

Goal 1: Universal civil registration of all births, deaths, marriages, and other vital
events based on accurate data;

Goal 2. Entitlement of all individuals to legal documentation of civil registration of
their births, deaths, marriages and other vital events, as necessary, to claim identity,
civil status and ensuing rights;

Goal 3: Production and dissemination of accurate, complete and timely vital statistics
{including the cause of death) are produced based on registration records.

Goal 4: Free, accessible, simple, and free expeditious birth registration is provided to
all children at all ages.

Goal 5: The civil registration documents are used as main tools for child protection in
relation to education, health, and other social services, justice, inheritance, and family
reunification.

See. 3. Coverage. This law shall embrace all acts, events, and judicial and administrative
issuances affecting the civil status and vital statistics of persons in the Philippines and all
Filipino citizens abroad, including all children with at least one Filipino parent.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms are defined as follows:

a) Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS) ~ refers to a scheme to facilitate
extensive civil registration at the barangay level involving all barangay officials

2


b)

°)

4d)

°)

h)

k)

assisting the Local Civil Registrars (LCR) in civil registration work, as provided in
Section 394 (d) (5) RA 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of the
Philippines;

Birth Attendant — shall refer exclusively to persons with midwifery skills such as
licensed doctors, midwives, and nurses who have been trained to proficiency in the
skills necessary to manage normal deliveries and diagnose, manage, or refer obstetric
complications;

Child - any person below 18 years of age or older who is unable to fully take care of
himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of
a physical or mental disability or condition;

Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) - shall refer to all persons below 18
years of age, or those 18 years old and over but are unable to take care of themselves
because of physical or mental disability condition; who are vulnerable to or are victims
of abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination and violence (armed conflict,
domestic violence and other analogous conditions prejudicial to their development)

Circuit Registrar — refers to the Clerk of Court of a Shari’a Circuit Court performing
as Circuit Registrar of Muslim marriages, divorces, revocations of divorces, and
conversions with the respective court’s jurisdiction, as provided in Title VI, Book Two
of Presidential Decree No. 1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal
Laws;

Civil Registration — refers to the continuous, permanent, universal and compulsory
documentation of occurrences and characteristics of vital events in the life of a person,
including any modifications thereof during his lifetime and until his death, as provided
for by this Act;

Civil Register — refers to the various civil registry books and related certificates and
documents where registrable acts, events, and judicial and administrative issuances
concerning the civil status of a person are recorded and kept in the archives of the Civil
Registrar's Offices, Philippine Consulate Offices, Shari’a District and Circuit Courts,
and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);

Civil Registrar (CR) — refers to the head of the Local Civil Registry Office (Civil
Registrar's Office), the Consul General (CG) in the Philippine Consulate Offices, or
the Clerk of Court in Shari’a District and Circuit;

Civil Registrar General (CRG) — refers to the head of the PSA who is also the
‘National Statistician of the government of the Philippines;

Consul General (CG) ~ refers to the head of a Philippine Consulate Office acting as
Civil Registrar of all civil registry documents involving Filipinos in a foreign country;

Civil Registry Document — refers to a certificate or any document relating to the civil
status of a person which is recorded and kept in the archives of the Civil Registrar's
Offices, Philippine Consulate Offices, Shari’a District and Circuit courts and the PSA;


1) District Recorder (DR) ~ refers to the Clerk of Court of the Shari'a: District Court
performing civil registration-related functions as District Recorder of Muslim
marriages, divorces, revocation of divorces, and conversions with the respective court's
territorial jurisdiction, as provided in Title VI, Book Two of Presidential Decree No.
1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws;

m) Foundling - any person who is abandoned and whose parentage is unknown;

n) Legal Instrument — refers to any legal documents that would be officially issued
pursuant to this act;

©) Live Birth —refers to a complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product/s
of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which after such
separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart,
pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or
not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached;

p) Local Archive Authority (LAA) — refers to the LCR or his authorized official of the
LCRO of each Local Government Unit who has the duty to establish, keep and
maintain the local archives, to include its mandatory digitization of all civil registry
documents for the herein provided Digital Linkages and Interconnection of All
Participating LRCOs.

q) Local Civil Registrar (LCR) — refers to the head of the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S
OFFICE;

1) National Statistician — the head of the PSA acting as the CRG for the purpose of this,
Act;

s) Out-of-Town Reporting — occurs when the certificate of live birth or death is presented
to the civil registrar of a city or municipality which is not the place of birth or death,
not for registration but to be forwarded to the civil registrar of the city or municipality
where the birth or death occurred and where it should be registered; and

1) Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ~ refers to the central statistics authority of the
Republic of the Philippines headed by the National Statistician.

Section 5. The Civil Registry System. The Civil Registry System is composed of the Office

of the C
Barangay Civil Registration System. The Ci

il Registrar General (CRG), the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar and the

Registry System issues registry instruments,

recommends and executes policies related to the civil registration of vital events, from the
national and local civil registry structures of the State.

Sec. 5.1 Duties and Function of the Office of the Civil Registrar General (CRG).
The Office of the Civil Registrar General shall have the following duties and functions:

a) Policy-making Functions. The Office of the CRG has the following policy-
making functions and responsibilities on the Civil Registry System.


i. Prepare and promulgate the implementing rules and regulations

peri

ining to civil registration laws and all subsequent issuances

relative thereto, in close collaboration with the DILG and the PACR;

and
ii. issue

circulars and memoranda pertaining to civil registration

enhancements as part of the functions of the OCRG;

b) Provision of

Technical Support to Local Civil Registry Offices.

i. Provide technical supervision over the City/Municipal Civil Registrar
(C/MCRs) and other Local Civil Registry Officers; and

ii. Provide ways and means to assist Civil Registrars for the
reconstruction of Local Archives as the need arises; and,

©) National Civil Registry Depository. Act as the national central depository of
all civil registry documents submitted to the OCRG for archiving from all civil
registry offices of the Philippines, for back up database and statistical analysis.
purposes only.

Sec. 5.2. Duties of the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar. - The

appointment of C/M

{CRs shall be mandatory for city and municipal governments. The

C/MCR shall be have the following duties and functions:

a) Primary Authority in Local Civil Registration. The Office of the C/MCR is

responsible

for the civil registration programs in the local government unit

concerned, pursuant to this Act, other existing laws, rules and regulations. This
includes the following responsibilities:

i. Administer oaths, free of charge, for civil registry purposes.

i, Exercise quasi-judicial functions in cases of clerical or
typographical errors and change of first name or nickname,
the day and month in the date of birth or sex of a person
where it is patently clear that there was a clerical or
typographical error or mistake in the entry, or the petitioner
for the change of first name or nickname finds the first name
or nickname to be ridiculous, tainted with dishonor or
extremely difficult to write or pronounce, has been habitually
and continuously used by the petitioner and has been publicly
known by that first name in the community or the change will
avoid the confusion as provided for under existing laws.; and

‘Submit status reports to the CRG on the condition of civil
registry documents filed his/her civil registry office whenever
there are substantial changes in the status of his files, in case
of fire, flood, earthquake and other natural and or manmade
calamities;


b) Issuance and Organization of Local Civil Registry Documents. As much
as practicable, assist in the preparation, accept and register all registrable
events and documents occurring within his or her jurisdiction affecting the

| status of persons. This function entails the following:

i. Make civil registry forms available at all times in the civil
registry office;

ii, File registrable certificates and documents presented to him or
her for entry;

iii, Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or
document registered, upon payment of the prescribed fees;

iv. Compile copies of every document registered and transmit to
CRG within the first ten (10) calendar days of the succeeding
month;

v. Receive all registrable documents and transcribe in the
corresponding civil register all documents accepted for
registration; and

vi. Receive applications for the issuance of a marriage license and
after determining that the requirements and supporting
certificates and publication thereof for the prescribed period
have been complied with, shall issue the license upon payment
of the authorized fee for the local treasurer;

©) Depository of Local Registry. The C/MR shall have the following duties and
functions in securing the local registi

ile, keep and preserve in a secured place the civil registry
books as required by law;

ii, Reconstruct destroyed civil registry records upon compliance
with the requirements following the procedures established by
the CRG; and

Classify, digitize, index and preserve all registered documents
in accordance with the appropriate archiving procedures.

d) Executory and Planning Functions. ‘The C/MCR shall develop plans and
strategies and upon approval thereof by the mayor, implement the same,
particularly those which pertains to civil registry programs and projects.

¢) Provide Civil Registry Education and Technical Support. Conduct
community education campaigns on vital registration and assist in the

6


preparation of demographic and other statistics for the local government unit
concerned, in particular the Barangay Civil Registration System;

1) Recommendatory fu policies on Local Civil Registration.
Recommend to the legislative bodies and collaborate with administrative
agencies in the formulation of systems, procedures, policies, rules and
regulations on civil registration

Sec. 5.3. Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS). There shall be a Barangay
Civil Registration System established where elected and appointed barangay officials
shall be mandated to assist in the facilitation of civil registration within their area or
jurisdiction subject to the provision of this Act.

a) Structure and Composition. The Barangay Civil Registration
System is composed of the Barangay Captain, the Barangay Secretary
and the Barangay Civil Registration Assistant.

The Barangay Captain shall submit the names of the Barangay
Secretary as Ex-Officio Barangay Civil Registration Officer (BCRO)
and other deputized barangay officials as Barangay Civil Registration
Assistant (BCRA). The BRCA shall assist in the registration of all
vital events of every individual within the area of jurisdiction to the
Local Civil Registrar's Office.

b) Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program for the
BCRS. Pursuant to Sec 13. of this policy, members of the Barangay
Civil Registration System are required to have regular, updated,
culturally sensitive education system.

©) Re

jonship to National and Local Civil Registry Systems.

i. The Civil Registrar General (CRG) shall adopt a method in
order to establish a systematic procedure of recording in the
barangay level enabling civil registration procedure a
universal right of every Filipino;

ii, The Local Civil Registrar's Office shall engage the barangays
to support in the implementation of the law, including the
provision of fiscal and budgetary support;

iii, Proper networking and interconnectedness between the Local
Civil Registrar's Office and the barangay shall be ensured in
order to attain mandatory civil registration of all born
Filipinos. The PSA, LGUs, a national professional
organization of local civil registrars duly registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, and other accredited
‘government or private institutions shall conduct regular
trainings and capacity building programs to upgrade the
knowledge and skills in civil registration functions of all
partners in the Barangay.


Sec. 6. Culturally-Sensitive Registration System — In collaboration with the National
Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
(NCMF), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippine
Association of Civil Registrars, National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), and
distinguished anthropologists and selected elders and leaders of IPs shall establish an
Indigenous Peoples Civil Registration System (IPCRS) that is sensitive and appropriate to the
unique cultural practices and identification systems of IPs: Provided, that the IPCRS shall be
harmonized with existing laws and systems on civil registry.

In recording the birth of IPs delivered in the traditional customs and practices of the indigenous

ity, the report as to the circumstances of the birth by any of the parents or by the tribal

| midwife who attended to the delivery shall be conclusive upon the Local Civil
Registrar (without need for further proof) and PSA.

The IPCRS shall take into account the various ethnic affiliations of the IPs in the country. For

this purpose, the PSA Administrator, acting as the Civil Registrar General, instead of issuing

separate forms for the IPCRS, shall cause the amendment of the existing civil registry forms,

for uniformity of all civil registry documents to ensure acceptability by end-user agencies or

institutions of the facts and information contained in said documents and ease of establishing
bonds between or among parents or parents and child.

In the absence of any identifying document, the self-ascription or ascription by any of the
parents or tribal leader or elder shall suffice to establish the identity of IPs when applying with
the LCR/PSA for recording birth, marriage or death.

Sec.7. Registration of Muslim Filipinos, Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) or
Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP).

Muslim Filipinos, ICCs or IPS and CNSP, by reason of their socio-cultural, religious, and
indigenous peculiarities, and vulnerabilities, shall be registered as follows:

a) Muslim Filipinos — civil registration of Muslim Filipinos shall be governed by PD 1083,
EO 157, and its implementing rules and regulations.

b) Indigenous Peoples — civil registration of indigenous cultural communities or
indigenous peoples shall be governed by RA No. 8371 and its implementing rules and
regulations.

¢) CNSP — Civil registration of Children in Need of Special Protection shall be governed
by the provisions of this act, special laws, and implementing rules and regulations, in
coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other
concerned agencies.

See. 8. Civil Registry Books. The Civil Registrar shall keep, update as mandated by law, and
preserve the following books in their offices:

a) Register of births ~ the records of birth in the civil registry:

b)_ Register of births of person without known parents- the records of abandoned in the
civil register;


g)

h)

a)

ky

See. 9.

Register of Deaths — the record of death of a deceased in the civil register;
Register of Marriages ~ the records of solemnized marriage in the civil register;

Register of Court Decrees or Orders ~ the records of court decree or order concerning
the status of a person in the civil register;

Register of Legal Instruments ~ the records of legal instruments executed affecting the
vital events of a person in the civil register;

Register of Applications for Marriage License ~ the records of application of marriage
license in the civil register;

Register of Conversion to Islam — the records of conversion to Islam religion of a person
in the civil register;

Register of Muslim Filipino Marriages ~ the records of marriage of a Muslim Filipino
in the civil register;

Register of Muslim Filipino Divorces — the records of divorce of a Muslim Filipino in
the civil register;

Register of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICC/IPs) Marriage
Dissolutions ~ the records of ICCs/IPs dissolution of marriage in the civil register; and
Register of ICCs/IPs Revocation of Marriage Dissolutions — the records of ICCs/IPs
revocation of marriage dissolutions.

Registrable Acts and Events. The following are the Registrable Acts and Events:

Birth;

Death;

Application for Marriage License;
Marriage;

Court Orders or Decrees; and
Legal Instruments;

ay eens

‘The Registrable Orders or Decrees of Courts and other competent authorities are the following:

Adoption;

Rescission of Adoption;

Annulment of Marriage;

Declaration of Nullity of Marriage;
Declaration of Presumptive Death;
Compulsory Recognition of Illegitimate Child;
Voluntary Recognition of Minor Illegitimate Child;
Appointment of Guardian;

. Termination of Guardianship;

10. Judicial Determination of Filiation;

11. Naturalization-All forms of naturalization;
12. Cancellation of Naturalization;

PR ayeynn



13. Judicial Determination of the Fact of Reappearance, if Disputed;

14, Separation of Property;

15. Revival of Former Property Regime;

16. Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad; and

17. Other orders/decrees that pertain to the civil status and vital statistics of a person.

The civil registrar shall properly enter the registrable events and court orders or decrees.

Sec. 10. Free Registration of Vital Civil Registry Events. The registration of births, deaths
and marriage are hereby declared a national policy. Therefore, no fees shall be imposed and
collected in the registration of these events, whether or not these are registered on time. All
supporting documents as prerequisite to birth registration shall also be free.

‘The first copies of civil registration certificates shall be free. For issuance of succeeding
copies of civil registry documents, a minimal fee prescribed by the CRG may be collected.

For registration of registrable judicial and administrative issuances or orders, and legal
instruments, a standard fee shall be collected.

Sec. 11. Registration and Certification of Birth. The declai of the physician, midwife,
nurse, birth attendant, finder or in default thereof, the declaration of either or both parents or
any person who has knowledge of the facts of birth of the newborn child shall be sufficient for
the registration of birth in the civil register.

The duly accomplished Certificate of Live Birth containing the above declaration shall be
submitted for registration to the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the birth occurred
within thirty (30) calendar days from date of birth by the aforementioned persons, declaring
the following when available:

a.) Full name of the child;

b,) Sex;

¢.) Date of birth;

4d.) Place of birth or where found;

¢.) Name of mother;

f.) Citizenship of the mother;

2.) Name of father;

h,) Citizenship of the father;

i.) Date and place of marriage of parents; and

jj) Such other data as may be identified in the implementing rules and regulations of

this Act.

Birth and other civil registry records of persons when any or some of the following information.
is absenUmissing: the usual middle initial or middle name, citizenship if stateless, names of
parents if unknown, date of marriage if inapplicable, or when an individual has only one birth
ame or any analogous circumstances, shall have equal acceptability and respect before all

10


government, public, private, commercial, and business transactions where these documents are
presented. All regulatory bodies such as, but not limited to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, Bangko Sentral ng inas, shall adhere to this law and adopt the necessary
rules and regulations to implement this act.

The fetus is considered born if it is alive at the time it is completely delivered from the mother’s
womb shall be considered as live birth and shall be registered in the Register of Births.

The fetus is not deemed born if it dies within twenty-four (24) hours after its delivery from the
mother’s womb. But for statistical purposes, a COLB shall be prepared in duplicate, where in
‘a copy shall be forwarded to the Office of the Civil Registrar-General and the other for Civil
Registrar’ file.

All cases of birth on board a vessel or airplane en route to the Philippines shall be recorded in
the civil register of the city or municipality where the mother habitually resides if either of the
parent is a citizen of the Philippines or both are. When the parents are both foreigners but not

lents of the Philippines, the birth may be recorded in any civil registry office in the
Philippines, if they so desire.

Abandoned children or foundlings whose parents, guardians or relatives are unknown, or
children committed to an orphanage or a child-caring institution with unknown facts of birth
and parentage, shall be registered by the finder or charitable institution concerned within thirty
(30) days from the date of finding or commitment of the child with the C/MCR of the place
where such person was born. The CRG shall issue a COLB to these children,

All LCR/PSAs in partnership with LGUs shall provide mobile birth registration services
especially in all Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) under their
jurisdiction.

Sec. 12. Delayed Registration of Birth. A person who has not been registered with the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE at the place of birth or where found shall apply for delayed
registration within the prescribed period of thirty (30) calendar days upon discovering that no
entry of birth has been recorded in the Register of Births.

For delayed registration, resort to out-of-town registration of birth may be allowed, where the
place of application for registration is other than the place of birth of the person seeking to be
registered, The LCR/PSA and PSA shall issue a COLB free of charge regardless of delay. A
person who has not been registered before the office of the C/MCR and PSA where he or she
was born within the prescribed period of thirty (30) calendar days shall apply on the basis of
his or her nearest kin. The informant and affiant must show authentic proof of the identity of
the person to be registered, the facts of his birth, his parentage and other relevant data.

In the implementation of this act, LCR/PSA should conduct regular review to assess the
accessibility of registration and design and implement programmatic interventions to address
gaps in CRVS, with PSA as the central office for data management and standards.

‘The record of a person’s birth shall be kept strictly confidential and any treatment thereof shall
be fully compliant with the Data Privacy Act.

i


Sec. 13. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program. To ensure that the
efficient and effective delivery of civil registration services and meet the demand for quality
civil registrars who shall perform civil registration functions, the Civil Register-General
together with the LGU, shall conduct continuing education and training program for Civil
Registrars, Consul Generals, District Recorders, and Circuit Registrars and their staff, in
collaboration with relevant partners in government, academe, industry, and non-governmental
organizations. Such training programs shall be initiated, conducted based on Training Needs
Analysis, and evaluated regularly throughout the year to ensure constant upgrading of skills of
the Civil Registrars, Consul Generals, District Recorders, and Circuit Registrars, and their staff.

Sec. 14. Free Delayed Registration and Certification of Birth. - Local government units are
mandated to implement a free delayed registration program for persons whose births have not
been registered and certified due to such factors as poverty, distance, or lack of literacy. The
Sangguniang Barangay shall assist in the implementation of the program through the Barangay
Civil Registration System.

‘The OCRG, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) shall jointly prepare a Free Delayed Registration
Program for Indigenous Peoples (FDRIP) which shall be implemented by the local government
units and the NCIP regional or local offices in the localities concerned.

Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the OCRG shall issue implementing
rules and regulations for the free delayed registration and certification of birth covering the
foregoing.

See. 15. Strict Confidentiality of Birth Records. The record of a person's birth shall be kept
confidential and no information relating thereto shall be issued, in accordance to the Data
Privacy Act except upon request of the following:

a) The concerned person herself/himself, or any person authorized by him;

b) Spouse;

) Any or both the parents, direct descendants, or the guardian or institution legally in-
charge in case of a minor;

d) The Court or appropriate public official whenever absolutely necessary in
administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to determine the identity of
the child’s parents or other circumstances surrounding the birth;

‘e) The nearest kin in case of a person’s death;
{) In accordance to section 12 of the Data Privacy Act of 2012, personal information

shall be released meeting the following conditions (with the consent of the
concerned person):

a. Necessary for compliance with a legal obligation;

b. The personal information is necessary in fulfillment of a contract;

c. Necessary to protect vitally important interests of the data subjects,
including life and death;

dd. Necessary in order to respond to national emergency, to comply with
public order and safety;

12


e. According to the purposes of legitimate interests by any third
party/ies, unless these interests are overridden by fundamental
rights and freedoms of the person involved.

Sec. 16. Registration and Certification of Death. No human body shall be buried or cremated
unless the proper death certificate has been presented and recorded in the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE/PSA.

The physician who attended the deceased, or in his default, the health officer concerned, any
member of the family of the deceased or any person having knowledge of the death shall
immediately report the same to the local health authorities who shall issue a death certificate
and shall order the same to be recorded before the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE/PSA at the
place of death.

The death certificate which shall be issued by the attending physician of the deceased or, in his
default, by the authorized health officer, shall indicate the following data, which shall be
furnished by the person reporting the death to the civil registrar:

a) Full name of the deceased;
b) Sex;

c) Age;

d) Civil status;

¢) Nationality;

F) Date of birth;

G) Place of birth;

h) Date of death;

i) Place of death;

|j) Full names of the deceased’ parents;
k) Cause of death; and

1) Such other relevant data that may be required.

The surname to be entered in the registry of death and the Death Certificate shall be the surname
used prior to his/her death. In case the deceased is a legally married woman, informants shall
register the death using the surname she chose as a legally married person.

The registration of death shall be made within thirty (30) calendar days from the time and date
of death before the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE at the place of death, or the Philippine
Consulate Office in the foreign country where the death happened.

In the absence of the city or municipal health officer or his authorized representative in the
place of registration, or when it is a non-working day and the health officer or his authorized
representative is not expected to be in the office, the death shall be reported by the nearest kin
of the deceased or by any person having knowledge of the death within forty-eight (48) hours
after its occurrence, to the mayor oF to the vice mayor or any member of the Sangguniang

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Bayan or to the municipal secretary, who shall issue and sign the medical certification of the
Certificate of Death for burial, cremation, and registration purposes.

When the death is subjected to a medico-legal examination, or the cause of death is under
investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or other concerned government
office and the body of the deceased is subjected to autopsy or examination of the medico-legal
officers and no record of death has been registered, the head of the NBI or other investigative
agency or the duly authorized representative shall cause the registration of such death through
the City or Municipal Health Officer at the place of death.

The medico-legal officer shall accomplish and sign the medical certification portion of the
certificate of death, subject to the review of the City or Municipal Health Officer.

Sec. 17. Delayed Registration of Death. A deceased person’s facts of death that have not been
istered within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of death shall be allowed delayed
registration before the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE at the place of death.

In any case, out-of-town registration of death may be allowed

Sec. 18. Registration of the Application for Marriage License. An application for marriage
license shall be filed by the contracting parties before the CR where one of the parties resides.
The CR shall enter all applications in the Register of Applications for Marriage License strictly
in the order of receipt of applications. The CR shall record in said register the names of the
applicants, the date on which the marriage license was issued, and such other data as may be
necessary.

No application shall be received by the CR unless supporting documents are attached thereto
and no application shall be posted unless it is received by the CR. Registration of the
application shall only take place after the completion of the posting period.

All applications for marriage license shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of EO. No.
209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines.

Sec. 19. Registration of Marriage. All marriages shall be registered by the solemnizing
officer before the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE of the place where they were solemnized.

a) In case of marriages solemnized while in transit:

i. En route to, or within the Philippines, the marriage shall be registered at the place
of residence of either party; or

ii, Leaving the Philippines, the marriage shall be registered at the consulate of the
Philippines in the place of destination of the parties, or in the absence thereof, to
the nearest Philippine consulate from the place of destination.

b) In cases of registration of traditional marriages and dissolution of marriages among
IPs.

‘The report of marriage among and between IPs solemnized in accordance with
customary laws, rites, traditions and practices by the person duly authorized to

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perform the ritual or ceremony and by the parties to the marriage shall be conclusive
upon the LCR/PSA without need for further proof. For this purpose, the NCTP shall
submit to the PSA a list of IPs recognized by each indigenous community to
solemnize marriage according to its customary laws or practices. The PSA shall issue
a Certificate of Registration of Authority to Solemnize Marriage (CRASM) to such
IPs for free.

In the case of indigenous communities whose traditional marriage ceremony does not
require the presence of a solemnizing officer, as determined by the NCIP, the report by
the contracting parties shall be conclusive upon the LCR/PSA without the need for
further proof except personal confirmation, orally or in writing, by any of the parents
or by a tribal leader or elder of the indigenous community to which any of the spouses
belong, For this purpose, the NCIP shall furnish the PSA and the LCR/PSAs with a list
of indigenous communities falling under this paragraph: Provided, That pending the
submission of such list, the oral or written confirmation of the tribal leader or elder shall
be conclusive upon the LCR/PSA.

The dissolution of marriage of IPs following customary indigenous laws and pra\
shall be directly recorded with the LCR/PSA without need of court intervention:
Provided, That such facts and information shall be confirmed orally or in writing by a
tribal leader or elder of the indigenous community to which any of the spouses belongs.

‘All marriages shall be registered within thirty (30) days from the date of the marriage.
Marriages registered after the stipulated period shall be considered late registration and
‘an administrative fee shall be imposed on the solemnizing officer. In no case shall

double or multiple registration of marriages be allowed, except for cases provided by
law.

Sec. 20. Multiple Registration. In cases of multiple registrations of birth, marriage and death,
the first duly registered document shall prevail, unless the Court orders otherwise.

For multiple marriages by and between the same parties, the first marriage shall prevail, and
not the first registered marriage of such parties.

Sec. 21. Registration of Solemnizing Officers. All solemnizing officers shall be registered
with the Office of the CRG, except those who are not required to be so registered as provided
for by law or existing rules.

The Mayor, with the assistance of the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE, shall determine
documents pertaining to the existence of religious sects.

Sec. 22. Registration of Court Orders. In case of court issuance or order concerning the
status of a person, the Clerk of Court shall advise the successful petitioner to register such
document before the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE which has jurisdiction on the issuing
court, In cases of legal separation, absolute nullity of void marriages and annulment of voidable
marriages, the prevailing party shall cause the registration of the decree in the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the marriage was registered, the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S
OFFICE where the family court is situated, and in the PSA. Such party shall report to the Court
compliance with this requirement within thirty (30) days from receipt of the copy of the decree.

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In case a person other than the petitioner shall apply to register a court order before the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE, the LCR has the responsibility to verify the veracity of the court
issuance or order, otherwise, registration thereof shall be refused.

‘The CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the event was registered shall forward a certified
true copy of the order to the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the vital event affected
was originally registered. The CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the vital event was
originally registered shall make proper annotations in the document and in the applicable
registry book. The CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE which has jurisdiction over the original
registry shall send a certified true copy of the annotated document and the registered court
order to the CRG.

Each corrected document shall be reported to the Office of the CRG during the usual reporting
month.

All court order shall be registered within thirty (30) days after its finality, otherwise it shall be
considered as delayed registration.

All court orders shall be effected through annotations in the civil registry document except in
an adoption case when the child shall be entitled to the issuance of an amended COLB

Sec. 23. Registration of a Child Born Abroad to at Least One Filipino Parent. The parents
shall cause the registration of the birth of their child to the Philippine Consulate which in turn
shall issue a Report of Birth within thirty (30) calendar days from date of birth of a Filipino
child. Declaring the following when available:

a) Full name of the child;

b) Sex;

©) Date of birth;

4) Place of birth or where found;

€) Name of mother;

) Citizenship of the mother;

g) Name of father;

k.) Citizenship of the father;

1.) Date and place of marriage of parents; and

m.) Such other data as may be required in the implementing rules and regulations of

this Act.

Sec. 24. Registration of Persons without Known Parents. All persons without known
parents, guardians or relatives, or a person committed in an orphanage or charitable institution
with unknown facts of birth and parentage, shall be reported by the finder to the Barangay
Chairperson or any member of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC)
of the place where the person was found, or to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women
and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD), whichever is nearer or convenient to the finder,

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stating the facts and circumstances surrounding the finding of the person. When the report is
duly noted, the finder shall bring the child to the nearest Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) office in the region, for proper screening, assessment and evaluation by
an authorized social worker within fifieen (15) calendar days from the date of finding or
commitment of the child. The finder shall execute a sworn statement before the Barangay
Captain stating the facts and circumstances surrounding the finding of the person.

In case of foundlings found in Philippine Consulates, embassies and territories, the relevant
Philippine Consulate shall abide by the eventual State policy (by virtue of this Act) on
foundling.

‘The finder or charitable institution concerned shall cause the registration before the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where such person was found within thirty (30) calendar days from
the date of entrustment to the institution.

Any report made after the thirty-day period shall be considered late registration, and the
concerned party shall be required to state in a swom statement the circumstances that caused
the late reporting to the civil registrar.

Should the foundling become adopted, the Local Civil Registrar shall stamp the simulated birth
record “cancelled” with an annotation of the issuance of a new rectified certificate of bi

its place. The rectified birth certificate bearing the names of the biologi
or the foundling certificate shall then likewise be stamped “cancelled” with the annotation of
the issuance of a new birth record place, and shall be sealed in the civil registry records.
‘Thereafter, the Local Civil Registrar shall record, register, and issue a new certificate of birth

which shall not bear any notation that it is a new or amended issue, as stated in RA 11222, Sec.
12.

Sec. 25. Registration of Adoption, The decree of adoption shall be recorded in the civil
register within thirty (30) days after the date of issue of the final judgment of the court.

‘After registration of the decree of adoption, the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the
birth of the adopted was registered shall immediately issue an amended COLB.

Such COLB of an adopted child shall not bear any mark or annotation or any indication of the
facts of adoption. It shall have the same entries as those appearing in the original records of
birth, except for the following items of information:

a) Name of the adopted ~ The first name of the adopted child shall be the same as in
the original COLB unless the order of adoption carried an order changing it to another
name. The middle name of the adopted child shall be the same as the middle name of
the adopter, except when the husband and the wife jointly adopted the child, in which
case, the middle name of the adopted shall be the surname of the adopting mother.

‘The surname of the adopted child shall be that of the adopter. If the husband and wife
jointly adopt the child, the adopted child shall use the surname of the adopting father.

b) Names of parents ~ The names of the natural parents of the adopted child shall be
substituted by the names of the adopting parents, to be indicated in the appropriate
spaces in the COLB as the father or mother, as the case maybe; and

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) Other information — Other information about the adopting parents such as citizenship

and religion shall be indicated in the appropriate spaces of the amended certificate of
live birth,

‘The birth order of the adopted and other information about the adopted shall follow the
information given by the adopting parents, unless the court order states otherwise. In
cases where legally married husband and wife jointly adopt the child, the date and place
of marriage of the adopting parents shall be entered in the appropriate spaces of the
amended certificate of live birth of the adopted child.

In all cases of adoption, no amendment or changes shall be effected in the civil registry
books where the original birth records was duly registered, except for the marginal
annotation by virtue of the adoption decree.

In case the adopted child has no known parents, the basis for the issuance of the
amended COLB shall be the court order.

In cases of the adopted child via administrative adoption on cases of the rectification
of simulated birth, pursuant to Article V of the Simulated Birth Rectification Act:

a) On Civil Registry Records for Rectified Simulated Birth, Article V, Sec 21, RA
11222. Upon receipt, the Local Civil Registrar shall stamp the simulated birth
record, “cancelled”, with annotations of the issuance of the rectified birth
record. These applies to birth certificates bearing the name of the biological

parents of the child, foundling certificate and any COLB of the child prior the
simulated birth.

b) On Issuance of New Birth Certificate for Rectified Simulated Birth, Article V,
See 22, RA 11222. New Certificate of Live Birth shall be issued through the
Local Civil Registrar for purposes of record, and registration, without bearing
any notation that it is new or amended, The new COLB, shall indicate the
following information: Place of Registration, Birth Order, Name of Adoptive
Parents, age, Date and Place of marriage (when applicable), Informant and
Person who prepared the new COLB.

‘The LCR shall immediately transmit said COLB to the PSA to be included in
the registry of adoptions, including the number of cancelled simulated birth
registrations.

Sec. 26. Registration of Presumptive Death. A judicial order or decree declaring a person
presumably dead for purposes of remarriage shall be registered in the office of the local civil
registrar of the place where the marriage was solemnized. It shall be annotated and recorded.
The registration shall be annotated in the marriage register as well as in the marriage certificate

.. 27. Registration of Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad. All foreign court orders
involving status of persons residing in the Philippines shall be registered before the CIVIL,
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the affected document is registered. These foreign court
orders, to be legal and binding in Philippine jurisdiction, must first be recognized by the
‘appropriate embassy of such country in here in the Philippines or Regional Trial Court or
which has the law ful jurisdiction over such case.

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The Supreme Court Order ( Republic vs. Manalo (G. R. 221029, April 24, 2018) on
recognizing Foreign Divorce Obtained by a Filipino, consistent to Article 26(2) of the Family
Code, granting the Filipino spouse the right to remarry shall be upheld by this policy.

Sec. 28. Registration of Legal Instruments. As a general rule, all legal instruments shall be
registered in the civil registry of the place where they were executed except for the following:

a) Affidavit of Reappearance — where the parties to the subsequent marriage are residing;

b) Marriage Settlement — where the marriage is recorded;

©) Admission of Paternity, Acknowledgment, Legitimation, Voluntary Emancipation of
Minor, Artificial Insemination — where the birth of child was recorded.

Sec. 29. Registration of Affidavit of Reappearance. A sworn statement of the facts and
circumstances of reappearance of the absentee spouse shall be recorded in the civil registry
office where subsequent marriage of the present spouse was recorded, at the instance of any
interested person, with due notice to the spouses of the subsequent marriage and without
prejudice to the fact of reappearance being judicially determined in cases where such a fact is
disputed.

Sec. 30, Registration of Affidavit of Acknowledgment or Affidavit of Admission of
Paternity. It shall be the duty of parents or parent who executed the affidavit of
acknowledgment to send the original copy to the CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE where the
entries on the birth of the child were recorded for registration in the Register of Legal
Instruments and for proper annotation in the Register of Births.

Sec. 31. Registration of Repatriation. The instrument of repatriation and the oath of
allegiance to the Constitution and the Government of the Philippines, shall be filed in the
CIVIL REGISTRAR’S OFFICE of the place where the instrument was executed: Provided,
That if the Philippine citizenship is reacquired by naturalization, the order of the court or any
mandated (omnibus) authority granting citizenship shall be recorded in the Register of Court
Order.

REGISTRAR’S OFFICEs, certifications or certified copies from these files and all other
documents relating thereto shall be considered public documents and shall be prima facie
evidence of the truth of the facts therein contained. These public documents, except those
documents which are to be kept strictly confidential as provided for under this act and other
applicable laws shall be opened to the public during office hours and shall be kept in a secured
place which shall be furnished to civil registrar at the expenses of the funds of the civil
registrar's office, Philippine consulate office, or Shari’a court concerned.

The civil registrar shall not, under any circumstances, permit any document entrusted to his

care to be removed from his office, except upon lawful order of the court, in which case the
proper receipt shall be secured.

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Sec. 33. Digital/Electronic Reporting of Births, Death and Marriages. - There shall be a
compulsory reporting of all occurrences of Births, Deaths, and Marriages from all Barangays
of the Philippines. As Barangay Registration Agents, all Barangay Secretaries or their
authorized representatives are hereby mandated to report these events using appropriate and
duly-inspected secure electronic devices to the LCR/PSA and other government agencies
mandated by law to monitor the status of registration of vital civil registry events and shall
assist the subsequent registration thereof. Cont skills training relevant to
Digital/Electronic Reporting of Births, Death and Marriages of Barangay Registration Agents
shall be provided by the PSA, LGU, PACR and other accredited government and private
institutions and organizations. This training shall equip Barangay Registration Agents with the
knowledge and skills needed to properly implement digital/electronic civil registration.

&

Sec. 34. Development of National Civil Registry Database (NCRD) Software.
National Government thru the National Computer Center in close coordination with the PSA,
the PACR, and the DILG shall develop official software responsive to the NCRD
implementation, Participation and assistance of international and local private organizations
having parallel objectives on the full development of digital civil registration may be sought in
the development of this software. Among other features, this software shall include the highest
degree of data security to ensure the integrity of its database.

The

See. 35. Digitization of all Civil Registry Files. — All registered documents in the LCR/PSA
shall be digitized. In addition to the usual reports and forwarding of the printed hard copy files,
digitized files shall also be submitted to the PSA as back up files of the National Civil
Database (NCRD), for digital archiving purposes.

Sec. 36. False Statements. — Any person who shall knowingly make false statements in the
furnished forms and present the same for entry in the civil registers shall be penalized in
accordance with law unless it was done for the best interest of the child.

False statements on the rectification of simulated birth of the child, granted that simulation
was made at the best interest of the child, shall be granted amnesty pursuant to the Simulated
Birth Rectification Act, RA 11222.

Sec. 37. Digitization of Linkages and Interconnection of All Participating LCR/PSA. ~ All
capable LCR/PSA shall be interconnected to facilitate retrieval, online certifications, and for
local government revenue generation using LGU-linked NCRD digital files. Participating
LCR/PSA are hereby authorized to issue certifications from NCRD for and in behalf of other
LCR/PSA subject to pertinent laws, rules or regulations on the confidentiality of birth records.

Sec. 38. Penal Provisions. Persons in authority who knowingly fall to perform their duties in
relation to this Act shall be held administratively liable in accordance to law.

Any solemnizing officer without being authorized by the Civil Registrar General or who, upon
solemnizing marriage, refuses to exhibit his authority to solemnize marriage when called upon
to do so by the parties or parents, grandparents, guardians or persons having charge of the
parties; or any bishop or officer, priest, minister, or imam, of any church, religion or sect, the
regulations and practices whereof require bans or publication previous to the solemnization of
marriage that is subsequently declared illegal, or any solemnizing officer in violation of this
Act, shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not to exceed
three (3) years, a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) but not more than

20


‘One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00), or both, and the revocation of the authority
to solemnize marriage, upon the discretion of the Court.

‘The attending physician, midwife, nurse, birth attendant, hospital administrator in-charged to
cause the registration of live births but knowingly fails or withholds the delivery of copies of
the certificate/s of live birth to the city or municipal civil registrar for registration, or any person
who caused the failure of delivery, shall be penalized by imprisonment of not more than six (6)
months and a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00), or both, upon the
discretion of the Court.

Sec. 39. Withholding of documents due to Non-payment of hospital fees. - In no case shall
failure to settle hospital bills, in full or in part, be a ground for non-delivery or withholding of
the certificate of live birth or certificate of death or documents required in the issuance of the
said certificates.

Sec. 40. Use of Fees and Income Collected. All fees that are remitted to the PSA by the
National Treasury and all income that the PSA is allowed to retain under law shall, any
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, be used primarily for operating expenses
including capital outlay, upgrading of its current facilities, acquisition of office and space, and
establishment of satellite offices in the provinces, and other activities or services the PSA in
the performance of its mandate needs.

See. 41. Transitory Provisions. ~ The PSA shall carry out the reorganization of the civil
registrars in such a manner that personnel of such office absorbed by the PSA shall continue to
perform their respective duties and responsibilities in a holdover capacity so as not to unduly
delay the production of statistics from ongoing censuses, surveys and processing of
administrative records.

Sec. 42. Appropriations. There shall be an initial appropriation of One Hundred Fifty Million
Pesos (Php 150,000,000.00) in the General Appropriations Act, which will be included in the
PSA’s budget for the initial development of software and the digitization of the CIVIL
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE files.

The Local Government Units shall allocate a portion of its Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA)
in order to assist the City/Municipal Civil Registry and the staffing of the Barangay Civil
Registration System, in particular the Barangay Civil Registration Assistant (BRCA).

Sec. 43. Mandatory Review. This Act shall undergo a mandatory review on its provisions
every five (5) years to make the law more responsive to the needs of the times. The review
shali 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 any amendment or
modification of this Act.

Sec. 44, Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the PSA, shall promulgate the IRR for the effective implementation of
this Act. The PSA may consult with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Interior
and Local Government, Department of Justice(DOJ), Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), National Commission of Muslim Filipinos(NCMP), the Office of the
Supreme Court Administrator, the University of the Philippines Law Center, a national
professional organization of local civil registrars duly registered with the Securities and

2


Exchange Commission, the National Privacy Commission, the Department of Health, the
Offfice of Solicitor General, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples ( NCIP), the Child
Rights Network (CRN), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the Bureau of Immigration
(BIR), the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the National Council of Disability
Affairs (NCDA), the Commission on Filipinos Overseas(CFO), the Department of Education
(DepEd),the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration ( OWWA), related child caring
agencies, international agencies, civil society organizations, related ministries of the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( BARMM) and such other agencies
in the formulation of the IRR. Other relevant stakeholders may also be consulted in the crafting
of the IRR.

Sec. 45. Separal ‘Clause. If any part or provision of this Act which shall be held to be
invalid or unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

See. 46. Repealing Clause. Act No. 3753 or the Law on Registry of Civil Status is repealed.
Sec. 453, 454, and 479 of the RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 are also hereby
repealed. All other laws, rules, regulations, orders, memoranda or circulars inconsistent with
this Act are hereby repealed and modified accordingly.

This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as it does not prejudice or
impair vested or acquired rights.

- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
cial Gazette or in any newspapers of general circulation.

Sec. 49. Construction. In the interpretation of this law, the best interest of the child shall
prevail

Approved

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