, , 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
S. No. 2111 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G, ESCUDERO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
.. """,, , 
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',:~, 
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. 
ERO 


, 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
S. No. 2111 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
I'J'i 27 
J'1 (\ •• ; tl " 
... ;! ... 
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PROVIDING FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE CIVIL REGISTRATION 
SYSTEM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of l\epresentatives of the l~epublic of 
the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. SllOrt Titk - This Act shall be known as the "Civil 
2 
Registration Act." 
3 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote and maintain 
4 
a 
more 
responsive 
civil 
registration 
system. 
Towards 
this 
end, 
S 
standardization and modernization of registration procedures is necessary to 
6 
establish the identity of the individual for administrative and legal purposes. 
7 
Moreover, efficient and simplified procedures in recording vital events must 
8 
be applied in civil registration for the benefit of the general public.} 
9 
SEC. 3. Coverage. - This law shall embrace all acts affecting the civil status 
10 
of persons in the Philippines and all Filipinos abroad, 
II 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. -
(a) "Civil Registration" refers to the 
12 
continuous, permanent and compulsory documentation of occurrence and 
13 
characteristics of vital events, including any modifications thereof during the 
14 
lifetime of a person, namely births, deaths, marriages, judicial and 
15 
administrative orders and legal instruments. 
16 
b) "Civil Register" refers :0 the various civil registry books where events 
17 
and judicial decrees concerning the civil status of persons are recorded, 
18 
and to related certificates and documents kept in the archives of the 


, 
Local Civil Registry Office, Philippine Consulates, National Statistics 
2 
Office and Shari' a District or Circuit Courts. 
3 
c) Civil Registry Documents" refers to all certificates and documents 
4 
relating to civil status of persons which are recorded and kept in the 
5 
archives of the Local Civil Registry Office, Philippine Consulates, 
6 
National Statistics Office and Shari' a District or Circuit Courts. 
7 
d) "Civil Registrar General" refers to the head of the National Statistics 
8 
Office. 
9 
e) "Civil I~egistrar" refers to the head of the Local Civil Registrar Office 
1 0 
(LCRO) or the City or Municipal Civil Registrar (CjMCR), the Consul 
11 
General, Consul or Vice Consul and the Clerk of Shari' a District or 
12 
Circuit Courts. 
13 
f) "District or Circuit I{egistrar" refers to the Clerk of Shari' a District or 
14 
Circuit Court performing civil registration functions with regard to 
15 
Muslim marriages, divorces, revocations of divorce and conversions 
16 
under Title VI, Book Two of Presidential Decree No. 1083, otherwise 
17 
known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. 
18 
g) "Barangay Civil Registration System" refers to a strategy to facilitate 
19 
civil registration at the barangay level where all the barangay officials 
20 
shall assist the CjMCR in civil registration work, as provided for 
21 
under Section 394(d)(5), Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as 
22 
the Local Government Code of the Philippines. 
23 
h) "Legal Instruments" refers to the affidavitsj affirmations pertaining to 
24 
civil registration. 
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SEC. 5. Duties lind Functions of the Civil Registrar General. - The Civil 
26 
Registrar General shall have the following duties and functions: 
27 
(a) Enforce the provisions of this Act; 
28 
(b) Prepare and issue rules and regulations pertaining to civil 
29 
registration; 
2 


(c) Exercise technical direction and supervision over the C/MCRs and 
2 
other local civil registry officers; 
3 
(d) Give orders and instructions to the C/MCRs on civil registration; 
4 
(e) Endorse for investigation any complaint for violation of this Act 
5 
and all irregularities to the local chief executive and other duly 
6 
au thorized agencies; 
7 
(f) Reproduce and issue documents under its custody and prepare and 
8 
order the printing of necessary forms; and 
9 
(g) Determine and prescribe standard fees for civil registry documents. 
10 
SEC. 6. Duties of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar (VMCR). - The 
11 
appointment of the C/MCRs shall be mandatory for city and municipal 
12 
governments, The C/MCR shall be responsible for the civil registration 
13 
programs in the local government unit (LGU) concerned pursuant to this Act 
14 
and other pertinent laws and implementing rules and regulations. The 
15 
C/Mcr~ shall develop plans and strategies and upon approval thereof by the 
16 
governor or mayor, as the case may be, implement the same, particularly 
17 
those which have to do with civil registry programs and projects which the 
18 
mayor is empowered to implement and which the sanggunian is empowered 
19 
to provide for. The C/MCR shall: 
20 
(a) Register all registrable events occurring within their jurisdiction; 
21 
(b) File registrable certificates and documents presented to them for 
22 
entry; 
23 
(c) Compile the registrable certificates and documents monthly and 
24 
prepare and send any information required of them by the Civil 
25 
Registrar Genral; 
26 
(d) Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or document 
27 
registered upon payment of the proper fees; 
28 
(e) Order the binding, properly classified, of all certificates or 
29 
documents registered during the year; 
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(f) Send to the Civil Eegistrar General, within the first ten (10) days of 
each month, a copy of entries made during the preceding month; 
(g) Index all entries to facilitate search and identification in case any 
information is required; 
(h) Administer oaths for civil registry purposes free of charge; 
(i) Accept all registrable documents and judicial decrees/orders 
affecting the civil status of persons; 
G) File, keep and preserve in a secured place the books required by 
law; 
(k) Transcribe and enter immediately upon receipt all registrable 
documents and judicial decrees affecting the civil status of persons 
in the appropriate civil registry books; 
(I) Receive applications for the insurance of a marriage license and, 
after determining that the requirements, supporting certificates and 
publication thereof for the prescribed period have been compiled 
with, issue the license upon payment of the authorized fee to the 
treasurer; 
(m) 
Coordinate with the Office of the Civil I<.egistrar 1 General 
(OCRG) in conducting educational campaigns for vital registration 
and assist in the preparation of demographic and other statistics for 
the LGU concerned; 
(n) Recommend to the Civil Registrar General systems and procedures 
relative to the formulation of policies, rules and regulations on civil 
registration; 
(0) Submit status reports on the condition of civil registry documents 
filed in the civil registry office whenever there are changes in the 
previous status of files; 
(p) Observe faithful compliance to rules and regulations pertaining to 
civil registration; 
4 


(q) Reconstruct destroyed civil registry records upon compliance with 
2 
the requirements and procedures established by the OCRG; and 
3 
(r) Make available at all limes the civil registry forms in the C/MCR 
4 
office. 
5 
SEC. 7. Ci"i/ Registry BODie. - The C/MCRs shall keep and preserve in 
6 
their offices the following books in which they shall accordingly enter the 
7 
proper record concerning the civil status of persons: (1) Register of Births; (2) 
8 
Register of Foundlings; (3) Register of Deaths; (4) Register of Marriages; (5) 
9 
Register of Court Decrees or Orders; (6) Register of Legal Instruments; (7) 
10 
Register of Applications for Marriage License; (8) Register of Conversions to 
II 
Islam; (9) Register of Muslim Divorces; (10) Register of Revocations of Muslim 
12 
Divorces; (11) Register of Indigenous Cultural Communities or Indigenous 
13 
Peoples (ICCs/IPs) Marriage Dissolutions; (12) Register of ICCs/IPs 
14 
Revocations of Marriage Dissolutions; and (13) Register of Administrative 
IS 
Orders. 
16 
SEC. 8. Registration and Certification of Birth. - The declaration of the 
17 
physician, midwife, nurse, attendant at birth, or in default thereof, the 
18 
declaration of either or both parents or any person who has knowledge of the 
19 
facts of birth of the newborn child shall be sufficient for the registration of 
20 
birth in the civil register. The duly accomplished Certificate of Live Birth 
21 
(COLB) containing the above declaration shall be submitted for registration to 
22 
the C/MCR of the place where the birth occurred within thirty (30) days from 
23 
the date of birth by the person making the declaration. The COU3 shall 
24 
declare the following: (a) narr:e of the child; (b) sex; (c) date of birth; (d) place 
25 
of birth; (e) name of mother; (f) name of father; (g) citizenship of the mother; 
26 
(h) citizenship of the father; (i) date of marriage of parents; G) place of 
27 
marriage of parents; and (k) such other data as required in the regulation to 
28 
be issued. 
29 
Abandoned children or foundlings whose parents, guardians or 
30 
relatives are unknown, or children committed to an orphanage or a charitable 
31 
institution with unknown facts of birth and parentage, shall be registered by 
32 
the finder or charitable institution concerned within thirty (30) days from the 
33 
date of finding or commitment of the child with the CjMCR of the place 
5 


where the child was found. A person who has not been registered with the 
2 
e/MeR of the place where such person was born within the prescribed 
3 
period of thirty (30) days may be allowed delayed registration. 
4 
A deceased person's birth may also be registered on a delayed 
5 
registration basis by his/her nearest kin. However, the informant and affiant 
6 
must show authentic proof of the identity of the person registered, the facts of 
7 
his/her birth and parentage, and other relevant data. 
8 
Out-of-town registration of birth may be allowed. 
9 
The record of a person's birth shall be kept strictly confidential and no 
10 
information relating thereto shall be issued except upon request by any of the 
II 
following: 
12 
(a) The concerned person or any person authorized by him/her; 
13 
(b) The person's spouse, parenti s or direct descendants, or guardian or 
14 
institutions legally in-charge of him/her, is such person is a minor; 
15 
(c) The court or proper public officials, when deemed absolutely 
16 
necessary in administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to 
17 
determine the identity of the person's parents or other circumstance 
18 
surrounding his / her birth; or 
19 
(d) The nearest kin, in the case of deceased persons. 
20 
SEC. 9. l~egislmtion and Certificrztion of lJeath. - No human body shall be 
21 
buried unless the proper death certificate has been presented and recorded 
22 
with the e/MeR The physiCian who attended to the deceased or, in his 
23 
default, the health officer concerned, or in default of the latter, any member of 
24 
the family of the deceased, or any person having knowledge of the death, 
25 
shall report the same to the local health authorities who shall issue a death 
26 
certificate and shall order the same to be recorded with the e/MeR. The 
27 
death certificate shall be accomplished by the attending physician or, in his 
28 
default, by the proper health officer. It shall contain the following data which 
29 
may be furnished by the person reporting the death (a) full name of the 
30 
deceased; (b) sex; (c) age; (d) civil status; (e) nationality; (4 date of death; (g) 
6 


place of death; (h) cause of death; and (i) such other data that may be 
2 
required. 
3 
The surname used by the deceased person, when still living, will be the 
4 
surname to be used in the death certificate. Registration shall be made within 
5 
thirty (30) days from the time of death with the C/MCR of the place where 
6 
the death occurred. 
7 
In the absence of the health officer or his authorized representative in 
8 
the place of registration, or when it is a nonworking day and the health officer 
9 
or his authorized representative is not expected to be in l&/her office, the 
10 
death should be reported within forty-eight (48) hours after its occurrence by 
lIthe nearest kin of the deceased or by any person having knowledge of the 
12 
death to the mayor, any member of the sangguniang bayan, or the municipal 
13 
secretary, who shall issue and sign the medical certification portion of the 
14 
Certificate of Death for burial and registration purposes. 
15 
When the death is under medico-legal examination, or where a case of 
16 
death is under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (Nl3I) or 
17 
other investigative agency of the government, and where the body of the 
18 
deceased is subjected to an autopsy or examination by the medico-legal 
19 
officers and the deceased has not been registered in the place of death, the 
20 
head of the NBl or other investigative agency or their authorized 
21 
representative shall cause the registration of such death through the health 
22 
officer of the city or municipality where the death occurred. The medico-legal 
23 
officer shall accomplish and sign the medical certification of the Certificate of 
24 
Death. 
25 
Registration of fetal death shall follow the same procedures in the 
26 
registration of death. A death not registered within the prescribed thirty (30) 
27 
day period may be allowed delayed registration with the C/MCR of the place 
28 
where the death occurred. 
29 
Oul-of-town registration of death may also be allowed. 
30 
SEC. 10. F\.egislrnlion of Marriage Lzcense. - The local civil registrar 
31 
concerned shall enter all applications for marriage licenses filed with him/her 
32 
in a registry book strictly in the order in which the same are received. He/ she 
7 


shall record in said book the names of the applicants, the date on which the 
2 
marriage license was issued and such other data as may be necessary. 
3 
SEC. 11. Application for Marriage License. - All applications for marriage 
4 
license shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of Executive Order No. 
S 
209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines, as amended. 
6 
SEC. 12. Eegistratian Ilnd Certification of Marriage. - All civil officers, 
7 
priests, ministers, wali, imam and tribal leaders authorized to solemnize 
8 
marriage shall send four copies of the Certificate of Marriage for registration 
9 
with the C/MCR of the place where the marriage was solemnized within 
10 
fifteen (15) days after the marriage. Marriages exempt from the license 
II 
requirement shall be registered within thirty (30) days after the marriage in 
12 
the city or municipality where it was solemnized. 
13 
A person whose marriage has not yet been registered with the C/MCR 
14 
of the place where the marriage was solemnized or celebrated may be allowed 
15 
delayed registration. 
16 
Out-of-town regish·ation of marriage may also be allowed. 
17 
SEC. 13. Multiple Registration. - In cases of multiple registration of birth, 
18 
marriage or death, the first duly registered document shall prevail. However, 
19 
in cases of multiple marriages occurring to the same parties, it shall be the 
20 
first valid marriage that shall prevail. 
21 
SEC. 14. kegistmtion of Solemnizing Officers. - Except as may otherwise 
22 
be provided by law or existing· rules, all solemnizing officers shall be 
23 
registered with the Office of the Civil Registrar General. The C/MCRs may 
24 
assist the local chief executive in determining documents pertaining to the 
25 
existence of religious sects. 
26 
SEC. 15. Registmtion of Court Orders. - In case a court issues an order 
27 
concerning the status of a person, it shall be the duty of the clerk of court to 
28 
advise the successful petitioner to have the order registered with the C/MCR 
29 
of the place where the court is functioning. If a person other than the 
30 
petitioner shall register the order, the C/MCR shall verify if the copy of the 
31 
order is authentic. Unverified copies shall be refused registration. The LCRO 
8 


where the event of the order was registered shall forward a certified true copy 
2 
of the order to the CIMCR where the event affected was originally registered. 
3 
The latter shall make the proper annotations in the document and in the 
4 
applicable registry book. Hel she shall likewise send a certified true copy of 
5 
the annotated document and the registered court order to the OCRG. Each 
6 
corrected document shall be reported to the OCRG during the usual reporting 
7 
month. All court orders shall be registered within fifteen (15) days after its 
8 
finality. Registration after the prescribed period shall be considered delayed 
9 
registra tion. 
10 
All court orders shall be effected through annotations in the civil 
11 
registry document except in adoption cases where the child shall be entitled 
12 
to the issuance of an amended birth certificate. 
13 
SEC. 16. Regislmlion of Adoption. - After the court decision on an 
14 
adoption has become final and executory, the Original Certificate of Live Birth 
15 
shall be amended. An amended certificate of live birth of the adopted shall be 
16 
issued by the CIMCR of the place where the birth of the adopted child was 
17 
recorded. It shall have the same entries as those appearing in the 
18 
a) Name of the adopted - the first name of the adopted child shall be the 
19 
same as that in the original certificate of live birth unless the order of 
20 
adoption carried an order changing it to another name. The middle 
21 
name of the adopted child shall be the same as the middle name of the 
22 
adopter, except when the husband and the wife jointly adopted the 
23 
child, in which case, the middle name of the adopted shall be the 
24 
surname of the adopting mother. The surname of the adopted child 
25 
shall be that of the adopter. If the husband and wife jointly adopt the 
26 
child, the adopted child shall use the surname of the adopting father. 
27 
b) Names of parents - the names of the natural parents of the adopted 
28 
child shall be substituted by the names of the adopting parents whose 
29 
names shall be indicated in the appropriate spaces in the amended 
30 
certificate of live birth as the father or mother, as the case may be; and 
31 
c) Other information - other information about the adopting parents such 
32 
as citizenship and religion shall be indicated in the appropriate spaces 
33 
in the amended certificate of live birth, including the date and place of 
9 


marriage of the adopting parents, in cases where the husband and wife 
2 
jointly made the adoption. In case the adopted child is a foundling, the 
3 
basis for issuance of an amended certificate of live birth shall be the 
4 
court order. 
5 
SEC 17. Regis/mtion o!"l'resumptive Death. - A judicial order or decree 
6 
declaring a person presumably dead shall be registered with the C/MCR of 
7 
the place where the first marriage was registered. Annotations for the purpose 
8 
of contracting a subsequent marriage shall be recorded in the marriage 
9 
register as well as in the marriage certificate. 
\0 
SEC 18. Registration of Court Orders Decided Abroad. - All foreign court 
11 
orders involving civil status of persons shall be registered in the LCRO of 
12 
Manila. 
13 
SEC 19. F.egistration of Legal Instruments. - As a general rule, all legal 
14 
instruments shall be registered in the civil registry of the place where they 
15 
were executed except the following: 
16 
a) Affidavit of reappearance - where the parties to the subsequent 
17 
marriage are residing; 
18 
b) Marriage settlement - where the marriage was recorded; and 
19 
c) Admission of paternity, acknowledgment, legitimation, voluntary 
20 
emancipation of minor, artificial insemination - where the birth of 
21 
the child was recorded. All legal instruments executed abroad shall 
22 
be registered in the LCRO of Manila including all legal instruments 
23 
which may be executed in the Philippines if the vital events referred 
24 
to in the latter instruments occurred in a foreign country and are 
25 
duly registered with the Philippine Consulate. All legal instruments 
26 
shall be effected through annotation in the civil registry document. 
27 
SEC 20. R.egistrniion of Affidllvii of R.eappellrance. - A sworn statement of 
28 
the facts and circumstances of reappearance shall be recorded in the civil 
29 
registry office of the residence of the parties to the subsequent marriage at the 
30 
instance of any interested person, with due notice to the spouses of the 
10 


subsequent marriage and without prejudice to the fact of reappearance being 
2 
judicially determined in case such fact is disputed. 
3 
SEC. 21. Registmtlon of AjJidflvit of Acknowledgment OY Affidavitt of 
4 
Admission of Paternity. - It shall be the duty of the parenti s who executed the 
5 
affidavit of acknowledgment or of admission of paternity to send the original 
6 
copy of the affidavit to the C/MCR where the birth of the child was 
7 
registered, for registration in the Register of Legal Instruments and proper 
8 
annotation in the I{egister of Births. 
9 
SEC. 22. l\utilOrization or [-I.lltification of Artificial Insemination. - Children 
10 
conceived as a result of artificial insemination of the wife with the sperm of 
II 
the husband or that of a donor or both shall be considered legitimate children 
12 
of the husband and wife: Provided, That both of them authorized or ratified 
13 
such insemination in a written instrument executed and signed by both of 
14 
them before the birth of the child. The instrument shall be recorded in the civil 
IS 
register together with the birth certificate of the child. 
16 
SEC. 23. Option to Elect Philippine Citizenship. - The option to elect 
17 
Philippine citizenship in accordance with Section (3), Article IV of the 
18 
Constitution shall be expressed in a statement to be signed and sworn to by 
19 
the party concerned before any officer authorized to administer oaths, and 
20 
shall be filed and registered with the C/MCR of the place where the 
21 
instrument was executed. Election of Philippine citizenship .executed, 
22 
subscribed and sworn to before a Consular Officer of the Philippine Embassy 
23 
abroad, together with the oath of allegiance, shall be registered with the 
24 
LCRO of Manila. 
25 
SEC. 24. Registmtion of Repatriation. - The instrument of repatriation 
26 
and the oath of allegiance to the Constitution and the government of the 
27 
Philippines shall be filed with the C/MCR of the place where the instrument 
28 
was execu ted: Provided, That if the Philippine citizenship is reacquired by 
29 
naturalization, the order of the court granting citizenship shall be recorded in 
30 
the Register of Court Order. 
31 
SEC. 
25. 
F.egistration 
of Muslim 
Filipinos, 
Indigenous 
Cultuml 
32 
Communities (ICes) or Indigenous Peuples (IPS) and Children in Need of Specilll 
11 


" . 
Protection (CNSP), - Muslims Filipinos, ICCs/IPs and CNSP, by reason of their 
2 
sociocultural, religious and pewliarities shall be registered as follows: 
3 
a) Muslim Filipinos civil registration shall be governed by Presidential 
4 
Decree No, 1083, Executive Order No, 157 and Administrative 
5 
Order No, 1, Series of 2005, 
6 
b) ICCs/IPs civil registration shall be governed by Republic Act No. 
7 
8371 and Administrative Order No, 3, Series of 2004, 
8 
c) CNSP civil registration shall follow the procedures provided under 
9 
OCRG Memorandum Circular 2004-01 and other promulgations by 
10 
the OCRG in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare 
11 
and Development and other concerned agencies, 
12 
SEC 26, Hnrangny Civil Regislration System (HCRS), - All elected or 
13 
appointed barangay officials shall assist in the civil registration within their 
14 
area of jurisdiction through the BCRS, The OCRG shall issue guidelines 
15 
governing the implementation of the System, 
16 
SEC 27. Civil Regislry Documenls nre Publzc Documenls. - The registry 
17 
books making up the civil register and all documents relating thereto shall be 
18 
considered public documents and shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of 
19 
the facts therein contained, They shall be open to the public during office 
20 
hours and shall be kept in a secured place that shall be furnished to the civil 
21 
registrar at the expense or thru the funds of the municipality concerned. The 
22 
civil registrar shall not, under any circumstances, permit any document 
23 
entrusted to &/her care to 1;>e removed from his/her office, except upon 
24 
lawful order of the court, in which case the proper receipt shall be secured. 
2S 
The civil registrar may issue certified copies of any documents filed upon 
26 
payment of proper fees fixed by municipal ordinance. 
27 
SEC 28. Expense of the Office of lhe Civil Registrar. - All expenses in 
28 
connection with the establishment and operations of the civil registrar's office 
29 
shall be paid out of municipal funds and for this purpose, the sanggunian of 
30 
municipalities or cities concerned shall make the necessary appropriation 
31 
available. 
12 


SEC. 29. Fees. - Registration of births, 1 foundlings, deaths and 
2 
marriages is mandatory and compulsory and shall be free of charge. POl' 
3 
registration of court orders, legal instruments and registrable administrative 
4 
orders, a standard fee shall be collected. The LGU may collect reasonable 
5 
service fees. For issuance of copies of civil registry documents, a standard fee 
6 
shall be collected. 
7 
SEC. 30. False Statements. - Any person who shall knowingly make false 
8 
statements in the forms furnished and present the same for entry in the civil 
9 
registers shall be penalized in accordance with law. 
10 
SEC. 31. fllilure to Report lind other Violations. - Any person whose duty 
11 
is to report any fact concerning the civil status of persons and who knowingly 
12 
fails to perform such duty, or any person violating the provisions of this Act 
13 
shall be punished in accordance with law. Any civil registrar who fails to 
14 
properly perform his/her duties in accordance with the provisions of this Act 
15 
or of the regulations issued there under shall be punished in accordance with 
16 
law. Any violation of the preceding provisions shall be penalized by 
17 
imprisonment of one year or a fine ranging from Five thousand pesos 
18 
(PhP5,OOO.OO) to Ten thousand pesos (PhP10,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion 
19 
of the court. The attending physician, nurse, midwife, hospital administrator 
20 
or any person in charge of the certificate of live birth who knowingly fails or 
21 
withholds the delivery of copies of the certificate to the C/MCR shall be 
22 
penalized by imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine of not more 
23 
than Five thousand pesos (PhP5,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
24 
Any officer, priest or minister who: (1) Solemnizes marriage without 
25 
being authorized by the Civil Registrar General; (2) Upon solemnizing 
26 
marriage, refuses to exhibit his authorization when called upon to do so by 
27 
the parties, their parents or guardians; (3) Authorizes the immediate 
28 
solemnization of a marriage that is subsequently declared illegal by his 
29 
church, religion or sect, the regulations and practices of which require bans or 
30 
publications previous to the solemnization of marriage; or (4) Solemnizes 
31 
marriage in violation of the provisions of this Act, shall be punished with 
32 
imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, or a fine ranging from 
33 
One thousand pesos (PhP1,OOO.OO) to Five thousand pesos (Ph1'5,OOO.OO), or 
34 
the revocation of his/her authority to solemnize marriage, or all three 
13 


penalties or combination thereof, at the discretion of the court. Any officer, 
2 
priest or minister who fails to deliver copies of the certificate of marriage to 
3 
the CIMCR within the period fixed by law shall be punished by 
4 
imprisonment of not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than Five 
5 
thousand pesos (PhPS,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
6 
SEC 32. Mandaton) Review. - This Act shall undergo a mandatory 
7 
review of its provisions by Congress every ten (10) years. 
8 
SEC 33. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
9 
held to be invalid or unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof which 
10 
are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
II 
SEC 34. F..epelliing Clause. - All laws, rules, regulations, orders, 
12 
memoranda or circulars inconsistent with this Act are hereby revoked, 
13 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
14 
SEC 35. ){etroactivitlj. - This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as 
IS 
it does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights. 
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SEC 36. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (IS) days after its 
17 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two national newspapers of 
18 
general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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