NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
i,f
24 DEC-3 PI2 59
SENATE 
S. No. ^885
r.-::
'J D
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE CIVIL REGISTRATION AND VITAL 
STATISTICS SYSTEM, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE ACT NO. 3753 OR THE 
LAW ON REGISTRY OF CIVIL STATUS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Act No. 3753 or the Law on Registry of Civil Status was approved on November 
26, 1930. This almost century-old law has since been the pillar of civil registration 
rules, procedures and activities in the country. Subsequent passage of laws 
supplemented it such as Republic Act No. 9048 as amended by Republic Act No. 
10172, Republic Act No. 9858, Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code 
of 1991 and Republic Act No. 10625 or the "Philippine Statistical Act of 2013". Various 
executive issuances were also promulgated to provide rules and regulations that seek 
to address circumstances which were not covered by Act No. 3753.
Despite these laws, the system of civil registration and vital statistics system in 
the country remains to be far from perfect. On one hand, around 3.7 million Filipinos 
remains uncaptured by the system due to inability to register their birth and failure to 
secure birth certificate.1 On the other hand, fake, falsified, and tampered birth.
1 Civil Registration Bill pushed to help 3.7M Pinovs without birth certificates - Philippine Legislators'
Committee on Population and Development


marriage and death certificates continue to proliferate. Moreover and more seriously, 
unscrupulous individuals find ways and means to circumvent the laws to serve their ill 
and selfish purposes. Recently, we have seen the breadth and gravity of the loopholes 
in the system. Particularly, we were surprised by the rampant abuse of late 
registration of birth by foreign nationals in their intention to seep through our economy 
and our political system. Thus, there is a need for a single updated, comprehensive, 
and holistic civil registration law.
The nPhilippine Civil Registration and Vita! Statistics Act' seeks to repeal the 
outdated law and enact one that is relevant and responsive to the current situation 
and dynamics of the country and of the international community.
To ensure truthful and faithful registration of civil registry documents, the 
measure provides for the rules and procedures for delayed registration of a vital event; 
rules and procedures for multiple registration of birth, marriage and death; and the 
requirement for the registration of solemnizing officers.
To capacitate the frontline officers, it mandates the conduct of mandatory 
continuing education and training program for Civil Registrars, Consul Generals / 
Consuls / Vice Consuls, Shari'a District / Circuit Registrar.
To ensure effective coordination among concerned agencies, data sharing and 
seamless interoperability of systems, the bill proposes the creation of Civil Registration 
Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee and the digitalization of the system.
To enable the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to become more proactive 
than just mere repository of documents, the bill proposes to grant PSA the power to 
block the civil registry documents in the civil registry database; to grant the National 
Statistician and Civil Registrar General (NSCRG) the power to cancel the registration 
of civil registry documents; and to create a Special Committee on Cancellation of Civil 
Registry Documents.


To make the law more relevant, responsive and deterring, it proposes increase 
in penalties and requires the mandatory review of the iaw.
The proposed bill will not only allow the government to reach more Filipinos, 
make them counted and enable them to fully enjoy their rights and benefits as Filipino 
citizens. It will also prevent fraudulent documents and activities that are perpetrated 
to commit more serious and large-scale crimes. Ultimately, it wiil preserve the sanctity 
and integrity of the identity, vital information and documents of our citizens.
This measure is a product of extensive study and technical expertise of the PSA 
and its partner agencies in the Inter-Agency Committee on Civil Registration and Vital 
Statistics.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is highly 
recommended.
lOY EJERCITO ESTRADA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
S. No.
)
SENATE
2885
24 DEC-3 P12S9
RliC.L .
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE CIVIL REGISTRATION AND VITAL 
STATISTICS SYSTEM, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE ACT NO. 3753 OR THE 
LAW ON REGISTRY OF CIVIL STATUS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
CHAPTER I
2 
GENERAL PROVISIONS
3 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Civil
4 
Registration and Vita! Statistics Act".
5 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote and maintain an
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efficient, responsive, inclusive, and accessible civil registration and vital statistics
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system. Towards this end, standardization and modernization of registration
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procedures is necessary to establish the identity of an individual for administrative and
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legal purposes. Moreover, efficient and simplified procedures in recording vital events
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must be applied in civil registration in order to establish the most precise identity of
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an individual for the benefit of the general public.
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The State declares the registration of all births, deaths, and marriages without
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discrimination as a national State policy.
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In the implementation of the policy stated above, the State, in enacting this
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Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act, institutionalizes and hereby maintains a legal
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framework related to the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), ensuring a


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system that provides equal access that is affordable, available, and protects the rights
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of ali citizens, especialiy children. Such system will also ensure the generation of
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statistics and easier retrievai and recording of statistics.
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The enactment of this iaw reaffirms the commitment of the State to the
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internationai standards and recommendations, according to the principies of the
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universai human right to be recognized as a person before the law Universal
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Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR Art.VI), to chiidren's right to nationaiity,
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registration after birth United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC
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Art. VII), the right to identity (UN CRC Art. VIII), the right to be protected from
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discrimination based on race, sex, color, language, religion, national or social origin
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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR Art. XXIV), the right to
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nationality of persons with disabiiities Convention on the Rights of Persons with
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Disabiiities (CRPD Art. XVIII), the right of adolescents to birth registration (UN CRC
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GC 20, Art. VIII), the right of chiidren in street situations to be proactiveiy supported
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to obtain iegai identity documents and the right of ail children at all ages to free,
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accessible, simple and expeditious birth registration (UN CRC Generai Comment 21,
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Art. XV), and the right of ali Fiiipino migrant workers to be recognized as a person of
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the law International Convention on Migrant Workers (ICMW, Art. XXIV) on CRVS.
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The State shaii endeavor to facilitate the realization of the people's rights and
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support good governance, heaith and deveiopment through the universai and
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responsive CRVS system. In this iight, the State shaii work towards reaching the goals
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from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Chiid and the Deciaration of Civil
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Registration and Vitai Statistics in Southeast Asiav
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Sec. 3. Coverage. - This iaw shaii embrace ali acts, vitai events, judicial decrees
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and administrative issuances affecting the civil status of persons in the Phiiippines and
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of ali Filipino citizens abroad.
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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the foliowing terms are defined
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as foilows:
29 
a) Abandoned chiid refers to a chiid who has no proper parental care or
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guardianship, a foundiing, or one who has been deserted by one's parents
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for a period of at least three (3) continuous months, and has been declared
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as such by the National Authority for Child Care;


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b) Abandoned Filipino child in a foreign country refers to an unregistered or 
undocumented child found outside the Philippine territory, with known or 
unknown facts of birth, separated from or deserted by the biological Filipino 
parent guardian, or custodian for a period of at least three (3) continuous 
months and committed to a foreign orphanage or charitable institution or in 
a temporary informal care, and has been declared as such by the National 
Authority for Child Care, upon recommendation of the office of the Social 
Welfare Attache of the Department Of Social Welfare and Development, or 
the Department of Foreign Affairs;
c) Adoption refers to the socio-legal process of providing a permanent family 
to a child whose parents had voluntarily or involuntarily given up their 
parental rights, permanently transferring all rights and responsibilities, 
along with filiation, making the child a legitimate child of the adoptive 
parents;
d) Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS) refers to a scheme to facilitate 
extensive civil registration at the barangay level involving all barangay 
officials assisting the Local Civil Registrars (LCRs) in civil registration work, 
as provided in Section 394 (d) (5) Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known 
as the Local Government Code of the Philippines;
e) Barangay Secretary refers to the person appointed by the Punong Barangay 
pursuant to Section 394, Book III, Title I, Chapter V of Republic Act No. 
7160;
f) Birth Attendant refers to attending Physician at birth or other health 
professional such as, midwives, and nurses who have the skills necessary 
to manage normal deliveries and diagnose, manage, or refer obstetric 
complications;
g) Cause of death refers to diseases, morbid conditions, or injuries which either 
resulted in or contributed to the death, and the circumstances of the 
accident or violence which produced such injuries for purposes of 
registration, aligned with International Classification Standards;
h) Child refers to any person below eighteen (18) years of age or eighteen (18) 
years older who is unable to fully take care of himself/herself from abuse.


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neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or 
mental disability or condition;
i) Children in need of special protection (CNSP) refers to aii children who are 
vulnerable to or are victims of abuse, negiect, expioitation, cruelty, 
discrimination and nature or human-induced vioience, which includes the 
following:
1) sexualiy / physicaily;
2) in commerciai sexual exploitation;
3) in conflict with the iaw;
4) in abused situations of armed conflict;
5) engaged in worst forms of labor;
6) with mental, physical, learning and other disabilities;
7) with HIV, aids or other sexualiy- transmitted infections;
8) in street situations;
9) affected by the use of iilegal substance;
10) affected by the war on drugs;
11) abandoned or without primary caregiver;
12) internaliy dispiaced, refugees, stateiessness, and at-risk of 
statelessness; and
13) abandoned children or Abandoned Filipino chiidren in a foreign 
country.
j) Circuit Registrar refers to the Cierk of Court of a Shari'a Circuit Court acting 
as Circuit Registrar with the duty to register Musiim marriages, divorces, 
revocation of divorces, and conversions within the respective court's 
jurisdiction, as provided in Tide VI, Book Two of Presidential Decree No. 
1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the 
Philippines;
k) Civil Registration refers to the continuous, permanent, universai and 
compuisory recording of occurrences and characteristics of vitai events in 
the iife of a person, including any modifications thereof during his lifetime 
and until his death, as provided for by this Act;


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l) 
Clerical or typographical error refers to a mistake committed in the 
performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an 
entry in the civil register that is harmiess and innocuous, such as misspelied 
name or misspelied place of birth, mistake in the entry of day and month in 
the date of birth or the sex of the person or the iike, which is visibie to the 
eyes or obvious to the understanding, and can be corrected or changed oniy 
by reference to other existing record or records: Provided, however, That 
no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, or status of the 
petitioner;
m) Circuit Registrar is the Clerk of the Shari'a Circuit Court acting in the 
performance of their function under Titie VI, Book II, of Presidential Decree 
No. 1083;
n) Civil register refers to the various civil registry books and related certificates 
and documents, including digitai or eiectronic copies thereof, where 
registrabie acts, events, judiciai decrees and administrative issuances 
concerning the civii status of a person are recorded and kept in the archives 
of the civil registrar's offices, Philippine Foreign Service Posts, Shari'a District 
and Circuit Courts, and the Phiiippine Statistics Authority (PSA);
o) Civil Registrar (CR) refers to the officers performing civil registry functions 
such as the Local Civil Registry Office (Civil Registrar's Office), the Consui 
General (CG) in the Phiiippine Consuiate Offices, or the Clerk of Court in 
Shari'a Circuit court;
p) Civil registry document refers to a certificate or any document, inciuding 
digital or electronic copy thereof, concerning the acts and events affecting 
the civil status of persons which are recorded and kept in the civii registry;
q) Consul General (CG) refers to an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs 
who has been issued a consular commission and acts as the head of a 
consuiar post or the head of the consuiar section of an Embassy and 
entrusted in that capacity with the exercise of diplomatic and consuiar 
functions, including civil registration duties;
r) Consul/vice consul refers to an official of the DFA who has been issued a 
consuiar commission and entrusted in that capacity with the exercise of


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diplomatic and consular functions. In exigencies, the civil registration duties 
herein provided for the consul general may be delegated and can be 
exercised and performed by the consul or vice consul;
s) Customary marriage refers to a marriage that is performed in accordance 
with customary laws, rites, traditions, and practices, of indigenous people 
and ethnic cultural communities, and recognized as valid under Republic Act 
No. 8371 and other related laws;
t) Death refers to the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any 
time after live birth has taken place (post-natal cessation of vital functions 
without capability of resuscitation);
u) Delayed registration refers to the registration of a vital event beyond the 
reglementary period. May be used interchangeably with late registration;
v) Dissolution of Customary Marriage refers to the termination of marriage as 
declared in a ruling or decision of the Council of Elders, Council of Timuays, 
Bodong Holders, or other tribunal and body authorized under the indigenous 
political structure of the ethnic cultural community, indigenous cultural 
community or indigenous peoples for causes sanctioned by established 
customary law or practice;
w) District Registrar (DR) refers to the Clerk of Court of the Shari'a District 
Court performing civil registration functions as district recorder of Muslim 
Marriages, Divorces, Revocation of Divorces, and Conversions, within the 
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;
x) Divorce refers to the final legal dissolution of marriage which confers on the 
parties the right to remarriage under Presidential Decree No. 1083;
y) Feta! Death refers to death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction 
from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of 
the pregnancy, where the death is indicated by the fact that after such 
separation, the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, 
such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite


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movement of voluntary muscles, where the fetus has a weight, gestational 
age, or body length to be prescribed in accordance with this Act; 
z) Foreign service officer refers to personnel commissioned as diplomatic or 
consular officers in a foreign service post. For purposes of this Act, foreign 
service officer refers to such dipiomatic and consular officers designated by 
the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide civii registration services; 
did) Foreign service post refers to ali Phiiippine embassies, missions, consulates 
general, and other foreign service establishments maintained by the 
Department of Foreign Affairs;
bb)Foundling refers to a deserted or abandoned child or infant with unknown 
facts of birth and parentage. This shail aiso include those who have been 
duly registered as a foundling during her or his infant chiidhood, but have 
reached the age of majority without benefitting from adoption procedures; 
cc) Heaith faciiity refers to facilities or institutions, whether stationary or mobile, 
land-based or otherwise that provides diagnostics, therapeutic, 
rehabiiitative, and other healthcare services, except medical radiation 
facilities and hospital-based or stand-alone pharmacies; 
bd)Informant refers to the person responsibie for providing the facts of birth, 
death, or marriage, who shail certify the accuracy of the personal 
information recorded for purposes of registration; 
ee) Indigenous Cuiturai Communities (ICCs)/Indigenous Peopies (ICCs/IPs) 
refer to a group of peopie or homogenous societies identified by seif- 
ascription and ascription by others, who have continuousiy iived as 
organized community on communaily bounded and self-defined territory, 
and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, 
possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of ianguage, 
customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, 
through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, 
non-indigenous reiigions and cultures, became historically differentiated 
from the majority of Filipinos. ICC/IPs shall likewise include people who are 
regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations 
which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at


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the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the 
establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their 
own social, economic, cultural, and political institutions, but who may have 
been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled 
outside their ancestral domains;
ff) Legal Instruments are registrable instruments in the form of an affidavit or 
certificate which affect the civil status of persons as enumerated in this Act. 
These acts are executed or issued without an order from the court;
gg)Z./Ve birth refers to the complete expulsion or extraction of a product of 
conception from its mother, 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 off or the placenta is still attached; each 
product of such birth is considered alive;
hh)Local Civil Registrar (LCR) refers to the head of the city or municipality in 
charge of Civil Registry Office, as the case may be, who is appointed as such 
by the city or municipal mayor in accordance with the provisions of existing 
laws;
ii) Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) refers to an office or department in the 
city or municipal government that is mandated to perform civil registration 
functions;
jj) Manner of Death refers to the circumstances in which a death arose as 
stated on the medical certification of cause of death form;
Vk) Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a 
woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of 
conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable 
social institution whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed 
by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may 
fix the property relations during the marriage within the limits provided by 
the Family Code;
II) Mass death occurs when several persons die due to natural calamities, 
accidents, epidemics etc.;


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mm) Medicolegal Death refers to death that must be reported to medicolegal 
officers of the Philippine National Police or National Bureau of Investigation, 
in accordance with this Act;
nn)Medicolegal Death Investigation (MIDI) refers to the non-legally binding 
fact-finding process of seeking to understand how and why a person died, 
by determining the identity of the decedent, the date, time, place of 
occurrence of death, and the cause and manner of death; 
oo)Muslim Marriage refers to a marriage where both parties are Muslims, or 
only the male party is a Muslim and the marriage is solemnized in 
accordance with Muslim law or Presidential Decree No. 1083;
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General (NSCRG) refers to the head 
of the PSA who is also the National Statistician of the government of the 
Philippines;
oilc\)Next-of-Kin refers to a deceased's spouse, ascendant, descendant, brother 
or sister, or any person under the deceased's guardianship or related by 
consanguinity or affinity within the sixth civil degree or any other person 
who lived with the deceased in the same household immediately prior to 
the death;
rr) Out-of-Town Reporting refers to the occurrence wherein 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; 
ss) PhilSys card number \s a randomly generated, unique, and derivative of the 
PhilSys number that will be assigned to every citizen or resident alien upon 
birth or registration by the PSA, in accordance with the registration process; 
tt) Solemnizing officer refers to any religious solemnizing officers as provided 
under Article 7(2) of Executive Order No. 209 otherwise known as the Family 
Code of the Philippines and Presidential Decree No. 1083. These includes 
community elders, tribal leaders or authorities certified by National 
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), or authorities duly acclaimed 
and respected in the tribal communities who perform and solemnize


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marriage in accordance with the customs, traditions and practices of the
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community for marriages among Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) or
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Indigenous Peoples (IP);
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uu)Supplemental Report is an administrative remedy used to supply
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information inadvertently omitted when the document was registered;
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w) Verbal autopsy refers to a structured questionnaire or interview on a
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decedent's medical history and signs and symptoms prior to death that is
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completed by a reliable next of kin to determine a probable cause of death
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in deaths that are not medically attended;
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ww) 
Vital event refers to an event concerning life and death of individuals, as
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well as their family and civil status, including live birth, death, fetal death,
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marriage, annulment or declaration of nullity of marriage, divorce, adoption,
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and recognition of paternity.
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Sec. 5. Implementing Agency. - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall
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be the primary implementing agency to carry out the provisions of this Act. The PSA
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shall issue rules in the implementation and enhancement of the civil registration and
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vital statistics, including, but not limited to, registration, copy issuance and data
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governance in accordance with the provisions of this Act, including all other applicable
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laws and policies.
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The PSA shall collaborate with LGUs, other government agencies, and
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Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) in order to facilitate the
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registration or reporting of all vital events of persons in the country and Filipinos
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abroad.
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Sec. 6. Reorganization of the Civil Registration Service of the PSA. To better
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implement the provisions of this Act and attain its objectives and purposes, the Civil
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Registration Service shall be reorganized and strengthened into a Civil Registration
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Office which shall perform the functions provided for under this Act.
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The Civil Registration Office shall be headed by a Deputy Civil Registrar-General
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with the equivalent rank of a Deputy National Statistician and shall be responsible for
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central registry document management and archiving, modernization of the Philippine
31 
Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, policy development and advocacy on civil
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registration matters, and overseeing the performance of civil registration services.
10


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There shall be three (3) Services under the Deputy Civil Registrar General 
headed by an Assistant Civil Registrar General with the equivalent rank of Assistant 
National Statistician;
a) National Civil Register Service;
b) Civil Registration Operations and Management Service; and
c) Civii Registration Advocacy and Frontline Services.
Sec. 7. Creation of Regional and Field Offices for Civil Registration. - To 
perform the foregoing functions, the regional and field officer of the PSA shall be 
strengthened through the creation of new Piantilla positions, subject to existing laws, 
rules, and regulations.
Sec. 8. Civil Registration Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee. - There shall 
be a Civil Registration Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee whose functions shall be 
defined in the implementing rules and regulations of this law.
The Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee shall convene on a quarterly basis to 
discuss coordination on enforcement of CRVS laws and recommend policies relating 
to civil registration and vital statistics for the approval of the NSCRG.
The Civil Registration Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee shall be composed
of:
a) The PSA thru its Deputy Civil Registrar General as Chairperson;
b) Department of Health (DOH) representative with a rank of at least director 
level as Vice-Chairperson; and
c) One (1) representative from each of the following agencies with a rank of 
director or higher, nominated by their respective agencies, with two (2) 
permanent staff members as designated alternate representatives:
1) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA);
2) Department of Justice (DOJ);
3) Department of Education (DepEd);
4) Commission on Higher Education (CHED);
5) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
6) Commission on Population and Development;
7) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) thru 
National Authority for Child Care (NACC);
11


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8) Philippine National Police (PNP);
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9) Bureau of Immigration (BI);
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10) Department of Information and Communications Technology
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(DICT);
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ll)Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao;
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12)National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF);
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13)National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); and
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14)National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
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The Civil Registration Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee may establish
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technical working groups and task forces, and invite other members or participants,
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as the need arises, to address specific concerns on the enforcement of CRVS laws and
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may establish interagency task forces at the regional, provincial and city/municipal
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level to ensure nationwide coordination and enforcement.
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Sec. 9. Powers and Functions of the National Statistician and Civil Registrar
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General (NSCRG). - The National Statistician and Civil Registrar General shall enforce
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the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations and, for this
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purpose, have the following powers and functions:
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a) Maintain the National Civil Register;
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b) Maintain the National Register for Solemnizing Officers;
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c) Enforce the provisions of this Act and other laws relative to civil registration
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and vital statistics;
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d) Exercise technical control and supervision over Local Civil Registrars (LCRs),
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Shari'a Circuit/District registrars, and Foreign Service Officers, in the
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exercise of civil registration functions;
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e) Issue certificates and certifications of entries in civil registers maintained by
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the office in accordance with the provisions of this Act and upon payment
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of prescribed fees;
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f) Assign a PhilSys number (PSN) upon registration of birth, which shall be
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used by each registrant for the registration and reporting of ail vital events;
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g) Develop modules and training programs for stakeholders involved in
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providing civil registration services;
12


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h) Establish and implement strategies and mechanisms to ensure the
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accessibility of civil registration services;
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i) Develop and adopt appropriate technology to facilitate and improve access
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to modernize the Philippine civil registration and vital statistics system and
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to improve access to and efficiency of civil registration services;
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j) Issue guidelines on reconstruction of burned, destroyed and lost civil
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registry records;
8 
k) In cases of nationai calamity or disasters, coordinate with the nationai,
9 
regional, or local disaster risk reduction and management council to ensure
10 
continuity or resumption of civil registration services;
11 
I) Conduct a comprehensive, nationwide information, education, and
12 
communications campaign regarding this Act;
13 
m) Deny requests for copy issuance of civil registry documents and certificates
14 
found to be fraudulent and/or fictitious, except for investigation purposes
15 
from law enforcement agencies and other government agencies with
16 
investigative and/or quasi-judicial powers, and court orders, subject to the
17 
implementing rules and regulations of this Act, Repubic Act No. 10173 or
18 
the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing guidelines;
19 
n) Block civil registry documents in the database upon findings of fraud and to
20 
unblock civil registry documents, through a court order or an administrative
21 
order;
22 
o) Ensure accuracy of annotation in the civil registry documents including
23 
modification, revision, and correction of cierical errors in the annotation of
24 
administrative decisions, court decrees and legal instrument (CDLI);
25 
p) Exercise quasi-judicial function in accordance with this Act;
26 
q) Exercise inspection and visitorial functions over stakeholders exercising civil
27 
registration function; and
28 
r) Such other functions in connection with the implementation of this Act.
29 
Sec. 10. Technical Control and Supervision. -The NSCRG shall have technical
30 
control and supervision over LCRs, Shari'a Circuit and District Registrars, and Consul
31 
General/Consul/Vice Consul, and shall:
13


1 
a) Review motu propio, and declare ultra vires acts or omissions of LCRs,
2 
Shari'a Circuit and District 
Registrars, and Consul General/Consul/Vice
3 
Consul in the exercise of civil registration functions, and order modification
4 
of such acts or omissions;
5 
b) Issue rules and regulations for carrying out the purposes of this Act and
6 
other laws relative to civil registration and vital statistics, and to prescribe
7 
the necessary forms for proper compliance with these laws;
8 
c) Issue rules, regulations, guidelines, criteria, and standard operating
9 
procedures to guide the performance of civil registration functions by LCRs,
10 
Shari'a Circuit and District 
Registrars, and Consul General/Consul/Vice
11 
Consul, and other officers who may be designated by law;
12 
d) Standardize Civil Registration and Vital Statistics processes and procedures
13 
through the issuance of policies and guidelines.
14 
Sec. 11. Investigative Power of NSCRG. - The NSCRG, in the exercise of its
15 
investigative powers, shall:
16 
a) Take action or report any violation of the provisions of this Act, and other
17 
issuances relating to civil registration, including acts and omissions of LCRs,
18 
Shari'a circuit or district registrars, or foreign service officers, insofar as their
19 
civil registration functions are concerned;
20 
b) Conduct investigation in relation to any violation of the provisions of this Act
21 
and ali irregularities, negligence or incompetency on the part of the city and
22 
municipal registrars, Shari'a circuit or district registrars, and foreign service
23 
officers, in connection with their civil registration function;
24 
c) Initiate administrative action based on reports of misfeasance,
25 
malfeasance, nonfeasance, or other errors or omissions of stakeholders in
26 
the exercise of their civil registration functions through endorsement for
27 
filing of appropriate cases to the appropriate local government chief
28 
executive or agency concerned for disciplinary action;
29 
d) Cause the filing of criminal actions for any violations of this Act and pursuant
30 
to the Rules on Criminal Proceedings;
31 
e) Cause the filing of civil actions for cases related to civil registration.
14


1 
Sec. 12. Oversight Power over the Local Civil Registrars, Shari'a Circuit and
2 
District Registrars, and Consul Generai/Consui/Vice Consul. - The PSA, in the exercise
3 
of its oversight powers, shall review policies, programs and projects implemented by
4 
the LCRs, Shari'a circuit and district registrars, and foreign service posts in the exercise
5 
of its civil registration functions. It shall likewise ensure compliance to existing policies,
6 
laws, regulations, and ethical standards being enforced in relation to their civil
7 
registration functions.
8 
Sec. 13. Appointment of City/Municipai Civil Registrar (C/MCR). - The
9 
appointment of LCR or C/MCRs shall be mandatory for city and municipal
10 
governments. The C/MCR shall be responsible for the civil registration programs in the
11 
local government unit (LGU) concerned, pursuant to this Act, other existing laws, rules
12 
and regulations.
13 
The NSCRG shall choose the LCR to be appointed from a list of eligible
14 
candidates submitted by the concerned Local Chief Executive. To instill a culture of
15 
professionalism, excellence, integrity, and proficiency in the performance of civil
16 
registry functions, criteria for evaluation shall include educational background,
17 
experience on civil registration work, work performance, and relevant training. The
18 
Administrative supervision over the LCRs shall remain with the concerned local chief
19 
executive.
20 
Temporary appointment of LCR shall only be allowed in the absence of any
21 
eligible candidates from the list submitted by the concerned Local Chief Executive:
22 
Provided, That temporary appointment shall only be for a period of 1 (one) year:
23 
Provided, further, That the LCR temporarily appointed shall substantially meet the
24 
requirements of this provision.
25 
Sec. 14. Duties and Functions of the LCR or the C/MCR. - The C/MCR shall
26 
develop plans and strategies and upon approval thereof by the mayor, implement the
27 
same, particularly those which pertains to civil registry programs and projects.
28 
For purposes of this Act, the C/MCR shall:
29 
a) Verify correctness and completeness of information reported for
30 
registration;
31 
b) Accept for registration reports-of vital events, court decrees and legal
32 
instruments affecting the status of persons in accordance with this Act;
15


1 
c) Maintain and preserve civil registry books, documents and/or electronic
2 
copies as required by law;
3 
d) Transmit to the Office of the Civil Registrar General, copies of civil registry
4 
documents in the form and manner prescribed by the NSCRG;
5 
e) Receive applications for marriage licenses and issue the same in accordance
6 
with law;
7 
f) Issue certified transcriptions or certified copies of any certificates or
8 
registered documents in accordance with this Act and upon payment of the
9 
prescribed fees to the city or municipal treasurer, as the case may be,
10 
except for the issuance of the first certificate which shall be free of charge;
11 
g) Act on petitions for revocation of certificates of live birth of persons with no
12 
known parents under Republic Act No. 11767;
13 
h) Administer oaths for civil registration purposes, free of charge;
14 
i) Delegate powers and responsibilities to and supervise staff to perform civil
15 
registration functions except the power to administer oaths;
16 
j) Adopt mechanisms to improve access to civil registration services in their
17 
locality, in coordination with the NSCRG and upon approval of the mayor,
18 
such as the establishment of secondary registration offices, mobile
19 
registration, and barangay civil registration systems;
20 
k) Annually collate records of inhabitants from barangay secretaries or through
21 
the Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS), and, as needed, seek
22 
assistance from barangay secretaries for registration of births, deaths, and
23 
marriages;
24 
I) Coordinate with the civil registration office of the PSA in conducting
25 
information, education, and awareness campaigns for civil registration and
26 
assist in the preparation of demographic and other statistics for the local
27 
government unit concerned; and
28 
m) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as
29 
may be prescribed by law.
30 
Sec. 15. Duties and Responsibilities of the District Registrar of the Shari'a
31 
District Court. - The Clerk of Court of the Shari'a District Court shall, in addition to
32 
his/her regular functions, act as District Registrar of Muslim marriages, divorces,
16


1 
revocations of divorces, and conversions with the territoriai jurisdiction of the said
2 
court.
3 
Every district registrar shail exercise supervision over circuit registrars in every
4 
Shari'a district and shall, in addition to maintaining an entry book, maintain copies of
5 
certificates of marriage, divorce, revocation of divorce, and conversion received from
6 
circuit registrars in separate general registers. The district registrar shail transmit
7 
copies of such civil registry documents to the civii registrar general in the form and
8 
manner prescribed by the civii registrar generai.
9 
Sec. 16. Duties and Responsibilities of the Circuit Registrar of the Shari'a Circuit
10 
Court. - The clerk of court of the Shari'a Circuit court shall act as circuit registrar of
11 
Muslim marriages, divorces, revocation of divorces, and conversions, within his/her
12 
jurisdiction. For this purpose, the circuit registrar shali:
13 
a) Register and file certificates of Muslim marriage, divorce, revocation of
14 
divorce, and conversion, and such other documents presented for
15 
registration;
16 
b) Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or document registered
17 
by his/her office in accordance with this Act and upon payment of prescribed
18 
fees;
19 
c) Compiie certificates of Muslim marriage, divorce, revocation of divorce and
20 
conversion to Islam and transmit the same to the district registrar in the
21 
manner and form prescribed by the civil registrar general; and
22 
d) Administer oaths for civil registration purposes, free of charge.
23 
Sec. 17. Duties and Responsibilities of Consul General/Consul/VIce Consul. -
24 
Consui Generai/Consul/Vice Consui within the Philippine Foreign Service Posts shall;
25 
a) Receive reports or records of vital events of Filipinos occurring abroad or
26 
while in transit to a foreign destination;
27 
b) Submit copies of reported vital events to NSCRG regularly;
28 
c) Register vital events occurring to Filipinos within Philippine Foreign Service
29 
Posts;
30 
d) Maintain registry books of such reported vital events and registered vital
31 
events of Filipinos; and
17


1 
e) In coordination with the NSCRG, facilitate the registration of undocumented
2 
Filipinos and Filipinos at-risk of statelessness abroad.
3 
The NSCRG, in consultation with the DFA, shall issue regulations on the
4 
reporting and registration of vital events occurring abroad.
5 
Sec. 18. Civil Registry Books. - The civil registry books making up the civil
6 
register under this Act, and all records relating thereto shall be considered public
7 
documents and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.
8 
In cases of discrepancy between civil registry documents issued by LCRs,
9 
Shari'a circuit or district registrars, and consul general/vice consul, and the civil registry
10 
documents issued by the Civil Registrar General, the latter shall prevail.
11 
Every LCR shall maintain, keep, and preserve in a secured place in his/her office
12 
the following registry books where he/she shall properly enter the acts, events, and
13 
judicial decrees concerning the civil status of persons:
14 
a) Register of births;
15 
b) Register of foundlings or persons with no known parents;
16 
c) Register of deaths;
17 
d) Register of fetal deaths;
18 
e) Register of marriages;
19 
f) Register of court decrees/orders;
20 
g) Register of legal instruments;
21 
h) Register of applications for marriage license;
22 
i) Register of administrative orders.
23 
The Circuit Registrar of the Court of Shari'a Circuit Court shali maintain, keep,
24 
and preserve in a secured place in his/her office the following registry books where
25 
he/she shall properly enter the acts, events, and judicial decrees concerning the civil
26 
status of persons in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 1083:
27 
a) Register of Muslim marriages;
28 
b) Register of Muslim divorces;
29 
c) Register of revocation of Muslim divorces;
30 
d) Register of conversion to Islam;
31 
e) Register of Revocation of Conversion to Islam; and
32 
f) Register of Court Decrees / Orders.
18


1 
Foreign service posts shall maintain the following registers:
2 
a) Register of Marriage between Filipinos, celebrated within foreign service
3 
posts;
4 
b) Register of births of Foundlings / persons with no known parents;
5 
c) Register of Legal Instrument.
6 
The Philippine Foreign Service Posts shall likewise maintain a database for the
7 
following:
8 
a) Reports of Birth;
9 
b) Reports of Death;
10 
c) Reports of Marriages; and
11 
d) Reports of Legal Instruments.
12 
The NSCRG may prescribe additional registers for other registrable documents.
13 
Sec. 19. Operative Act of Registration. - Unless otherwise provided in this Act,
14 
the LCR and Shari'a Circuit Registrar shall register the vital event upon ensuring that:
15 
a) The appropriate form is used and the form is properly and completely
16 
accomplished;
17 
b) The information provided is complete and correct based on the documents
18 
submitted;
19 
c) All required documents are submitted;
20 
d) The information insofar as the identity and civil status of the persons
21 
involved are correct; and
22 
e) Based on available Information, the vital event has not been previously
23 
registered.
24 
When all the foregoing conditions are present, the presumption of regularity on
25 
the performance of the duty of the LCR, Sharia Circuit Registrar, and Consul
26 
General/Consul/Vice Consul in the registration of the vital event shall apply.
27 
Sec. 20. Registration of Court Decree/Order. - Judicial decrees concerning the
28 
civil status of persons shall be recorded in the Civil Register. The following are the
29 
Registrable Orders or Decrees of Courts:
30 
a) Judicial Adoption;
31 
b) Rescission of Judicial Adoption;
32 
c) Annulment of Marriage;
19


1 
d) Declaration of Nullity of Marriage;
2 
e) Declaration of Presumptive Death;
3 
f) Compulsory Recognition of lilegitimate Child;
4 
g) Voluntary Recognition of Minor lilegitimate Child;
5 
h) Appointment of Guardian;
6 
i) Termination of Guardianship;
7 
j) Judicial Determination of Fiiiation;
8 
k) Judicial Naturalization;
9 
I) Judicial Cancellation of Naturalization;
10 
m) Judicial Determination of the Fact of Reappearance, if Disputed;
11 
n) Separation of Property;
12 
o) Revival of Former Property Regime;
13 
p) Correction / Cancellation of entries in the Civil Register;
14 
q) Recognition of Foreign Court Orders; and
15 
r) Other court orders/decrees that pertain to the civii status and vital statistics
16 
of a person.
17 
The Civil Registrar shall properly enter the registrable events and court orders
18 
or decrees.
19 
The Civil Registrar shall likewise properly enter final decisions on administrative
20 
adoption and other orders/decree affecting civii status of persons rendered by quasi-
21 
judicial administrative body.
22 
Sec. 21. Free Civil Registration Services. - The timely civil registration of vitai
23 
events shall be completely free of charge. No fees for processing or for the preparation
24 
of supporting documents, inciuding miscelianeous and computer fees, shall be
25 
imposed; Provided, That in case of late or delayed registration of births, deaths or
26 
marriages, a processing fee may be charged, subject to limits prescribed by the
27 
NSCRG.
28 
Upon registration of the vital event, the applicant shall be given a personai copy
29 
of the civil registry document free of charge. Succeeding copies of birth, death,
30 
marriage certificates and other civii registry documents may be issued upon payment
31 
of fees as prescribed by the NSCRG.
20


1 
Sec. 22. Place of Registration. - Unless otherwise provided in this Act, vital
2 
events occurring in the Philippines shall be registered in the city or municipality where
3 
said vital event occurred.
4 
Sec. 23. Reporting of Vita! Events Occurring Abroad. - All vital events occurring
5 
to Filipinos residing abroad (permanently or temporarily) shall be reported to the
6 
Philippine Foreign Service Posts of the country of residence or where the vitai event
7 
took place. Where none is located thereat, in the Philippine Foreign Service Posts of
8 
the country nearest the place of residence of the party concerned or where the vital
9 
event occurred.
10 
Sec. 24. Out-of-town Reporting. - The NSCRG shall issue guidelines on Out-of-
11 
town Reporting and registration of vital events, and the registration of vital events in
12 
special cases as defined in this Act, including those vital events occurring abroad and
13 
the parties are already residing in the Philippines. This shall likewise apply to vital
14 
events which occurred in the Philippines and the parties are already residing abroad.
15 
Sec. 25. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program. - To ensure
16 
that the efficient and effective delivery of civil registration services meet the quality
17 
standards of civil registrars who shall perform civil registration functions, the Civil
18 
Registrar General in coordination with the LGU, the Supreme Court and the DFA, shaii
19 
conduct continuing education and training program for Civii Registrars, Consul
20 
Generals/Consuls/Vice Consuls, Shari'a District/Circuit Registrar, in collaboration with
21 
relevant partners in the government, academe, industry, and non-governmental
22 
organizations. Such training programs shall be initiated and conducted based on
23 
Training Needs Analysis, and evaiuated regulariy throughout the year by the NSCRG
24 
or his/her authorized representatives to ensure constant upgrading of skills of the Civil
25 
Registrars, Consui Generals/Consuls/Vice Consuis, Shari'a District/Circuit Registrar,
26 
and their staff.
27 
Sec. 26. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program for Local Health
28 
Officers, Provincial Health Officers, Physicians, and Other Members of the Health
29 
Sector on their Duties and Responsibilities in Relation to Civil Registration. - All
30 
physicians shall be required to undergo training on their duties and responsibilities in
31 
relation to civil registration, inciuding on medical certification of cause of death. The
32 
DOH is mandated to provide capacity building for provincial health officers, iocal health
21


1 
officers, physicians, and other members of the health sector on their duties and
2 
responsibilities in relation to civil registration. The CHED shall likewise ensure that
3 
birth registration, death registration, and medical certification of cause of death are
4 
integrated in the curriculum of all medical schools in the Philippines.
5 
Sec. 27. Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS). - There shall be a
6 
Barangay Civil Registration System established by the barangay captain in consultation
7 
with the LCR where elected and appointed barangay officials shall be mandated to
8 
assist in the facilitation of civil registration within their area or jurisdiction subject to
9 
the provision of this Act.
10 
The NSCRG shall establish a systematic civil registration procedure at the
11 
barangay level.
12 
The Barangay Captain shall submit to the LCR's Office the names of the
13 
Barangay Secretary as Ex-Officio Barangay Civil Registration Officer (BCRO) and other
14 
deputized barangay officials as Barangay Civil Registration Assistant (BCRA) who shall
15 
assist in the registration of all vital events of every individual within the area of
16 
jurisdiction.
17 
The LCRO shall engage the barangays to support in the implementation of the
18 
law, including the provision of fiscal and budgetary support.
19 
The LCRO and the barangay shall ensure the mandatory registration of all born
20 
Filipinos. The PSA, LCDs, a national professional organization of LCRs duly registered
21 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other accredited government or
22 
private institutions shall conduct regular training and capacity building programs to
23 
upgrade the knowledge and skills in civil registration functions of all partners in the
24 
Barangay.
25 
Sec. 28. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program for Barangay
26 
Secretaries and Deputized BCRAs. - To ensure that the efficient and effective delivery
27 
of civil registration services meet the quality standards of civil registrars who shall
28 
perform civil registration functions, the Civil Registrar Generai in coordination with the
29 
LGU, shall conduct continuing education and training program for Barangay
30 
Secretaries and Deputized BCRAs, in collaboration with relevant partners in the
31 
government, academe, industry, and non-governmental organizations in accordance
32 
with Section 25 of this Act.
22


1 
CHAPTER II
2 
REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION OF BIRTH
3 
Sec. 29. Mandatory Registration of Live Births. - All live births occurring within
4 
the Philippines shali be registered in accordance with this Act: Provided, That the birth
5 
of a fetus with an intrauterine life of less than seven (7) months that dies within
6 
twenty-four (24) hours after its complete delivery from the maternal womb, shall be
7 
reported to the LCR for statistical purposes, but shall not be entered in the register of
8 
live births: Provided further. That a fetus with an intrauterine life of seven (7) months
9 
or more and born alive at the time it was compietely delivered from the maternal
10 
womb, but died later, shall be considered a live birth and shall be registered in the
11 
register of births and register of deaths, accordingly.
12 
Sec. 30. Persons and Institutions Responsibie for Reporting a Live Birth. - The
13 
following persons and institutions shall be responsible for reporting a live birth that
14 
occurs within the Philippines, to the LCR:
15 
a) The administrator of a health facility, physician, or midwife who attended
16 
the birth, in such order, for live births that occur in a health facility;
17 
b) The physician, nurse, midwife, or any person who attended to the birth, for
18 
live births that occur outside a health facility, such as at home or in a
19 
community setting;
20 
c) In default of the health facility administrator or attendant at birth, the
21 
mother of the child, the father of the child, or next-of-kin; and
22 
d) The barangay secretary or deputized BCRAs through the BCRS notification
23 
system.
24 
The declaration of the following persons shall be sufficient for purposes of
25 
registration:
26 
a) either parent of the newborn child born within a valid marriage;
27 
b) the mother, or in her absence, the guardian, in case of a child born outside
28 
a valid marriage;
29 
c) any responsible person who has knowledge of the facts of birth; or
30 
d) the person himself/herseif, if 18 years old or over.
23


1 
Sec. 31. Other Persons Responsible for Informing Live Births Under Special
2 
Circumstances. - The following persons shall be responsible to inform the fact of a
3 
live birth that occurs under special circumstances, to the LCR:
4 
a) The driver of a vehicle, captain of a vessel, or pilot of an airplane, as the
5 
case may be, and the parents of the child, in case of a live birth that occurs
6 
aboard a vehicle, vessel, or airplane while in transit;
7 
b) The imam, priest, or religious leader, village chief, community or tribal
8 
leader, as the case may be, for a live birth that occurs within the religious,
9 
or indigenous cultural community, in default thereof, either parent of the
10 
child in accordance with this Act; and
11 
c) The head of the facility that has custody over the mother for live births that
12 
occur while she is in state custody.
13 
The NSCRG shall issue guidelines on the registration of live birth under special
14 
circumstances.
15 
Sec. 32. Duty to Report to the Local Civil Registrar of Live Birth. - It shall be
16 
the duty of the informants mentioned under this Act to report a live birth within thirty
17 
(30) calendar days from the date of the live birth, or from when they came to know
18 
of the live birth, to the LCR's office in the city or municipality of the place where the
19 
birth occurred.
20 
Sec. 33. Duty to Keep Records of Birth. - All health facilities shall submit to the
21 
LCR a record of all births occurring in such facility, which shall contain information
22 
required for registration, such as, but not limited to, the name of the child, the parents,
23 
the medical attendant at birth and the date of submission of registration documents
24 
to the LCR.
25 
Sec. 34. Registration of Foundlings or Persons With No Known Parents. - The
26 
registration of foundlings or persons with no known parents shall be governed by the
27 
relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 11767, its Implementing Rules and
28 
Regulations, and other relevant issuances.
29 
Sec. 35. Live Births in Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) or Among
30 
Indigenous Peoples. — The NSCRG in coordination with the NCIP, shall prescribe
31 
guidelines for the registration of ethnic or indigenous affiliation of a child and his/her
24


1 
parents and for recording of names of children in accordance with naming conventions
2 
of Indigenous Cultural Communities.
3 
Sec. 36. Live Births among Musiim Fiiipinos. - The NSCRG in coordination with
4 
the NCMF, shall prescribe guideiines for the registration of religion of Muslim Filipinos
5 
and for recording of names of children in accordance with naming conventions of
6 
Muslim Filipinos.
7 
Sec. 37. Strict Confidentiaiity of Birth Records. - The record of a person's birth
8 
shall be kept confidential and no information relating thereto shall be issued except
9 
upon request of the following:
10 
a) The concerned person herself/himself, or any person authorized by him/her;
11 
b) Legal Spouse;
12 
c) Any or both the parents, direct descendants, or the guardian or institution
13 
legally in-charge in case of a minor;
14 
d) The Court or appropriate public official whenever absolutely necessary in
15 
administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to determine the identity
16 
of the child's parents or other circumstances surrounding the birth; and
17 
e) The nearest of kin in case of a person's death.
18 
CHAPTER III
19 
REGISTRATION OF DEATHS AND FETAL DEATHS
20 
Sec. 38. Mandatory Registration of Death. - All deaths that occur within the
21 
Philippines shall be registered with the LCR where it occurred within thirty (30) days
22 
from the time of death, in accordance with this Act.
23 
Sec. 39. Registration of Fetai Death. - Fetal deaths shall likewise be registered
24 
with the LCR where the death occurred within thirty (30) days from the time of death,
25 
in accordance with this Act.
26 
Sec. 40. Registration of Mass Death. - Where the deceased cannot be
27 
identified, the local health officer, pursuant to existing guidelines and in the exercise
28 
of his wise discretion, may issue and cause the registration of the death certificate
29 
bearing the annotation "Body Not Identified". The NSCRG shall issue guidelines on the
30 
registration of Mass Deaths.
31 
Sec. 41. 
Permit to Dispose of Dead Bodies. - No remains shall be buried,
32 
cremated, donated, transferred, or otherwise disposed of without a permit to dispose
25


1 
of dead bodies, issued by the Locai Heaith Officer in the city or municipality where the
2 
decedent died. A permit to dispose of human remains shall only be issued upon the
3 
submission of the duly accomplished certificate of death to the local health officer. In
4 
the case of medicolegal deaths, said permit shall only be issued upon approval of the
5 
Medicolegal Officer conducting medicolegal death investigation.
6 
The DOH shall, in coordination with the NSCRG and the DILG, establish
7 
mechanisms, and local health officers shall adopt such mechanisms, to ensure that
8 
there is no interruption of services on weekends, holidays, and in the absence of a
9 
local health officer, which may include:
10 
a) assigning a provincial health officer or the local health officer of a contiguous
11 
city or municipality in case of absence of the local health officer;
12 
b) temporarily appoint a government physician to perform the functions of the
13 
local health officer under this Act; or
14 
c) enabling reports of deaths to barangay secretaries during weekends or
15 
holidays: Provided, That the cause of death has been determined and
16 
certified in accordance with this Act, and that the death is reported
17 
immediately to the local health officer.
18 
Sec. 42. Persons Responsible for Reporting a Death. - The following persons
19 
and institutions shall be responsible for reporting a death that occurs within the
20 
Philippines, to the LCR, in applicable cases:
21 
a) The head of the health facility, or the physician who last attended to the
22 
deceased, for deaths that occur in a health facility; or
23 
b) The physician who attended to the decedent during his/her last illness, or
24 
in his/her absence, the next-of-kin, or in their default, any person who has
25 
knowledge of the death, for deaths occurring outside health facilities; or
26 
c) Medicolegal officers of the PNP or NBI for medicolegal deaths reported to
27 
them.
28 
It shall be the duty of funeral parlors, burial facilities, crematoriums, and
29 
embalmers to report a death to the LCR pursuant to this Act and other relevant laws,
30 
upon becoming aware that a death has not been so registered.
31 
Sec. 43. Duty to Inform the Local Civil Registrar of Death Through the Local
32 
Health Officer. - It shall be the duty of the informants mentioned in this Act to inform
26


1 
the LCRs concerned of death occurring within forty-eight (48) hours from the time of
2 
death, or from when they came to know of the death, to the Locai Health Officer of
3 
the city or municipality where the death occurred or where the body was found.
4 
Sec. 44. Informants for Deaths under Special Circumstances. - The foilowing
5 
persons shail be responsible for informing the fact of death that occurs under special
6 
circumstances, to the LCR:
7 
a) The driver of a vehicle, captain of a vessel, or pilot of an airplane, as the
8 
case may be, or in case there are no survivors, the owner of the moving
9 
conveyance, for a death that occurs aboard a vehicle, vessel, or airplane;
10 
b) The imam, village chief, or tribal leader, as the case may be, for a death
11 
that occurs within the Muslim community, or indigenous cultural community
12 
or among indigenous peoples;
13 
c) The head of a detention facility for deaths that occur in state custody.
14 
In case of medicolegal deaths, the medicolegal officer of the PNP and/or NBI
15 
to whom the death is referred, shall report the death to the local health officer, within
16 
ten (10) days from the date of death or receipt of the report of the death.
17 
The Local Health Officer, or another government physician authorized pursuant
18 
to this Act shall, upon ensuring that information provided is complete or adequate for
19 
purposes of registration, and that the medical certification of cause of death is properly
20 
filled-out, report the death to the LCR by forwarding the certificate of death and other
21 
relevant documents within thirty (30) days from the time of or discovery of death.
22 
Sec. 45. Medical Certification and Determination of Cause of Death. - The cause
23 
and manner of death of deceased persons shall be determined and medically certified,
24 
by the following persons, subject to guidelines to be issued by the DOH:
25 
a) By the head of the health facility or the attending physician, in case of
26 
deaths occurring in a health facility and deaths pronounced in the health
27 
facility;
28 
b) By the physician who last attended to the decedent during his/her last
29 
illness, in case of deaths occurring outside a health facility but with medical
30 
attendance;
31 
c) By the local health officer, or other physicians authorized by him/her, in
32 
case of deaths occurring outside a health facility 
and without medical
27


1 
attendance, upon viewing the body 
in-person or through video
2 
conferencing, and upon reviewing the decedent's medical records; or
3 
d) By the medicolegal officer of the PNP or NBI, in cases of medicolegal deaths.
4 
The cause and manner of death shall be reported to the LCR, in the same
5 
manner as the fact of death. The Local Health Officer may designate other physicians
6 
to determine the cause and manner of death for deaths without medical attendance:
7 
Provided, That such physician has undergone training on medical certification of cause
8 
of death, as prescribed by the DOH.
9 
Sec. 46. Verbal Autopsy. - In cases where a person died outside a health facility
10 
and without medical attendance, and no medical records are available to determine
11 
the cause and manner of death of the decedent, the Local Health Officer receiving the
12 
report of death or other physicians authorized 
by him/her shall view the body in-
13 
person or through video conferencing or other means and conduct verbal autopsy to
14 
determine the most likely cause of death. The Local Health Officer may designate
15 
other physicians to conduct verbal autopsy: Provided, That said physicians have
16 
undergone training on the use of verbal autopsy.
17 
The fact that verbal autopsy was used to determine the most likely cause of
18 
death shall be specified in the certificate of death.
19 
The DOH shall issue guidelines on the conduct of verbal autopsies by local
20 
health officers.
21 
Sec. 47. Medico Legal Deaths. - The following deaths shall be considered
22 
medicolegal deaths that must be reported to medico legal officers within the PNP or
23 
NBI in cases where it has jurisdiction, by any person who has knowledge of such
24 
death:
25 
a) deaths due to known or suspected unnatural or external causes, including
26 
violent deaths, whether due to homicide, suicide, or accident;
27 
b) all potentially unlawful deaths;
28 
c) sudden, unexpected, or unexplained deaths not caused by a readily
29 
recognizable disease, including dead-on-arrival cases with improbable or
30 
inconsistent medical history or within less than 24-hours of confinement;
31 
d) deaths in state custody; and
32 
e) other analogous causes.
28


1 
Upon receipt of the report, the medicolegal officer to whom the case is assigned
2 
shall conduct a post-mortem examination of the decedent and such other
3 
examinations as are needed to determine the cause and manner of death, the consent
4 
of the decedent's next-of-kin shall not be required for such examinations.
5 
The medicolegal officer shall certify and report the cause and manner of death,
6 
in the form and manner prescribed by the NSCRG, and according to guidelines to be
7 
issued by the NSCRG in coordination with the DILG, DOJ, and DOH.
8 
In the absence of a medicolegal officer of the PNP and NBI in the city or
9 
municipality where the death occurred, the PNP may authorize a local health officer
10 
or government physician to conduct the Medicolegal Death Investigation (MIDI):
11 
Provided, That said local health officer or physician shall act under the supervision of
12 
the PNP.
13 
The cause and manner of death determined upon a request for second opinion
14 
made to another agency shall not be registered without court order: Provided, That in
15 
case jurisdiction is transferred to the NBI or PNP upon order of the Secretary of Justice
16 
or Secretary of Interior and Local Government, the agency designated to conduct the
17 
MIDI shall be responsible for reporting the cause and manner of death.
18 
Sec. 48. Duty to Keep Records of Death. - All health facilities shall submit to
19 
the LCR a record of all deaths occurring in such faciiity on a quarterly basis, which
20 
shall contain information required for registration, such as, but not iimited to, the
21 
name of the decedent, the certifier of cause and manner of death, and the date of
22 
submission of registration documents to the LCR.
23 
Ail funeral parlors, embalmers, cemeteries and crematoriums, shali likewise
24 
submit to the LCR on a quarteriy basis, a record of ail deaths referred to their faciiity
25 
for embalming, burial, or cremation services, which shail contain information such as,
26 
but not limited to, the name of the decedent, the date of issuance of the permit to
27 
dispose of the body, the name of embaimer, and date of registration of death.
28 
Sec. 49. Ciassification of Diseases. - The DOH and PSA are hereby mandated
29 
to adopt a standard for the classification of diseases, which must be consistent with
30 
the classification of diseases adopted by the international community.
31 
Sec. 50. Registration of Deaths of Unidentified Persons. - The NSCRG, in
32 
coordination with the PNP, NBI, DOJ, DILG, DOH and other reievant organizations.
29


1 
shall issue guidelines for the registration of unidentified persons, said guidelines shall
2 
include mechanisms to amend the identity, cause and manner of death and other
3 
particulars of the decedent when they become known, in accordance with this Act.
4 
The DOH shall ensure that all funeral parlors, burial facilities, and crematoriums
5 
are trained on disposal of unidentified bodies and remains.
6 
Sec. 51. Monitoring and Review of Causes of Death. - The DOH, through its
7 
regional offices and provincial health officers shall conduct regular and random audits
8 
of causes of death within their territorial jurisdiction and shall submit reports and
9 
recommendations to the Civil Registration Inter-Agency Cooperation Committee to
10 
improve the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of cause of death determination and
11 
certification.
12 
CHAPTER IV
13 
MARRIAGE LICENSE AND REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE
14 
Sec. 52. Registration of the Appiication for Marriage License. An application for
15 
a marriage license shall be filed by the contracting parties before the LCR where either
16 
of the parties resides. The LCR shall enter all applications in the Register of
17 
Applications for Marriage License strictly in the order of receipt of applications. The
18 
LCR shall record in said register the names of the applicants, the date on which the
19 
marriage license was issued, and such other data as may be prescribed by the NSCRG.
20 
No application shall be received by the LCR unless supporting documents are
21 
attached thereto and no application shall be posted unless it is received by the LCR.
22 
Registration of the application shall only take place after the completion of the posting
23 
period.
24 
All applications for marriage license shall be governed by the pertinent
25 
provisions of EO. No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines.
26 
Sec. 53. Registration of Marriage. - All marriages including marriages among
27 
IPs/ICCs requiring a marriage license shall be registered within fifteen (15) days by
28 
the solemnizing officer following the solemnization of the marriage at the Local Civil
29 
Registry Office of the place where the marriage was solemnized. Marriages under
30 
exceptional character, as provided in Title I Chapter 2 of the Family Code of the
31 
Philippines, shall be registered in the same manner within thirty (30) days from the
32 
date of celebration of marriage.
30


1 
A marriage solemnized while in transit within Philippine territory is registrable
2 
at the place of destination or usual residence of either party.
3 
Marriage among Muslim Filipinos performed under their customs, rites, and
4 
practices shall be registered by the officiating person, or in his default by the parties
5 
to the marriage for registration to the circuit registrar of the city or municipality where
6 
the Shari'a Circuit court exists. Where there is no Shari'a Circuit court, marriages
7 
among Muslim Filipinos shall be registered at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO)
8 
where the marriage was celebrated.
9 
Sec. 54. Marriages Exempt from the License Requirement - (1) In marriages
10 
exempt from license requirement, the solemnizing officer in accordance with Chapter
11 
2 of the Family Code, shall indicate in the space provided in the Certificate of Marriage
12 
any of the following particular provisions of the Family Code under which such
13 
marriage was performed. The civil registrar shall enter the same in the remarks column
14 
of the marriage register in accordance with the NSCRG guidelines.
15 
CHAPTER V
16 
DELAYED REGISTRATION
17 
Sec. 55. Deiayed Registration. - Delayed registration refers to the registration
18 
of a vital event beyond the reglementary period as specified under existing laws, rules
19 
and regulations.
20 
The primary documentary requirements for the application for delayed
21 
registration of birth shall be:
22 
a) Certificate of Live Birth duly accomplished and signed by the proper parties;
23 
b) Accomplished Affidavit for Delayed Registration;
24 
c) National ID, including its digital form, or proof of registration in the National
25 
ID system; and
26 
d) Any two public documents showing proof of identity.
27 
Above provisions notwithstanding, no application for delayed registration shall
28 
be accepted, processed or approved by the LCR, Shari'a Circuit Registrar, or the Consul
29 
General/Consul/Vice Consul unless the document owner personally appears before the
30 
concerned LCR, Shari'a Circuit Registrar, or the Consul General/Consul/Vice Consul.
31 
Rules on the following shall be outlined in the Implementing Rules and
32 
Regulations (IRR) of this Act:
31


1 
1) additional guidelines for deiayed registration of births;
2 
2) delayed registration of marriages, deaths, final court decisions and legal
3 
instruments affecting status of persons;
4 
3) on appearance on the processing of delayed registration including instances
5 
where personal appearance may be dispensed with;
6 
4) on exceptional circumstances such as the occurrence of a state of calamity,
7 
pandemic, and other birth registration assistance program to aid in the
8 
expedient registration of birth in the vulnerable sectors of the society;
9 
5) imposition of standard fees for delayed registration and/or waiver of the
10 
delayed registration fee where the applicant is an indigent, has limited
11 
access to registration services, and similar circumstances; and
12 
6) other analogous cases as may be deemed necessary to realize the objectives
13 
of this Act.
14 
Sec. 56. Waiving of Deiayed Registration Fee. The standard fee for delayed
15 
registration shall be waived upon showing of any of the following:
16 
a) Certificate of indigency issued by DSWD;
17 
b) Certificate of Indigency issued by the LSWDO;
18 
c) Certificate of 4Ps.
19 
Above premises notwithstanding, certificates of indigency issued by the LSWDO
20 
shall be subject to further verification by PSA: Provided, That persons requesting for
21 
waiving of the delayed registration fee should be in the DSWD's Listahanan or its
22 
equivalent.
23 
As determined by the NSCRG, waiver of fees for delayed registration shall also
24 
be effected for special projects or programs of the PSA.
25 
CHAPTER VI
26 
MULTIPLE REGISTRATION
27 
Sec. 57. Muitipie Registration. - In cases of multiple registrations of birth, and
28 
death, the first registered certificate shall be presumed as valid, unless otherwise
29 
canceled by the court. Subsequently registered certificates registering the same birth,
30 
or death shall no longer be issued.
32


1 
For multiple marriages involving the same parties, the certificate of marriage
2 
pertaining to the first celebrated marriage shall be presumed valid, unless otherwise
3 
canceled by the court.
4 
The NSCRG shall inform the concerned LCR, Shari'a Circuit Registrar, or the
5 
Philippine Foreign Service Post of the multiple registration upon discovery, for proper
6 
action.
7 
The NSCRG shail prescribe guidelines on the issuance of copies of civil registry
8 
documents involving multiple registration.
9 
Sec. 58. Supplemental Report. - A suppiemental report, using the appropriate
10 
form (Certificate of Live Birth, Certificate of Death, Certificate of Fetal Death or
11 
Certificate of Marriage), may be filed to supply information inadvertently omitted when
12 
the document was registered.
13 
The "Medical Certificate" in the Certificate of Death and Certificate of Fetal
14 
Death and all applicable certifications contained in the Certificate of Marriage should
15 
be accomplished correctly and completely before registration: Provided, That
16 
supplemental reports may be allowed only in cases where there is an official autopsy
17 
conducted by the NBI and PNP or as ordered by the court: Provided further, That the
18 
entry to be supplemented shall only be limited to the causes of death.
19 
The supplemental report shall not be used in any manner to change or to
20 
correct any entry which was previously entered in the civil register, or to circumvent
21 
the provisions of Article 412 of the Civil Code of the Philippines which prohibits any
22 
change or correction of an entry in the civil register without judicial order or cases
23 
under Republic Act No. 9048, as amended.
24 
The civil registrar shall accept only one supplemental report for not more than
25 
two omitted information in any registered event. In cases where there are more than
26 
two omitted information, all papers related thereto shall be forwarded to the Office of
27 
the Civil Registrar-General.
28 
The supplemental report may be filed by the parent/guardian or the party
29 
concerned, if of age, who shali execute an affidavit indicating the entry/ies missed in
30 
the registration and the reasons why there was a failure in supplying the required
31 
entry.
32 
CHAPTER VII
33


1 
REGISTRATION OF SOLEMNIZING OFFICERS
2 
Sec. 59. Registration of Soiemnizing Officers. The following shall file his/her
3 
sworn application for registration of authority to solemnize marriage in accordance
4 
with the guideiines prescribed by the Civii Registrar Generai:
5 
a) any priest, rabbi, imam, or minister of any church or reiigious sect and
6 
registered with the civii registrar general acting within the iimits duiy
7 
authorized by his church or religious sect; and
8 
b) authorized chieftain or tribai leader of a duly confirmed Indigenous Peoples
9 
group by the NCIP.
10 
The NSCRG shall review the same and after determination that the
11 
denomination, church, sect, or reiigion of the applicant operates in the Philippines and
12 
in good repute, shail issue the Certificate of Registration of Authority To Solemnize
13 
Marriage (CRASM), and record the name of such priest, minister, or rabbi in the
14 
register of solemnizing officers and shali issue such certificate to the authorized
15 
soiemnizing officer. A reiigion or religious sect is deemed operating in the Philippines
16 
when such religion or reiigious sect appears in the latest census records of the
17 
Philippines. In the absence of census records, either the current certificate of
18 
registration or General Information Sheet issued by the Securities and Exchange
19 
Commission. In the absence of the foregoing, a certification from the mayor having
20 
jurisdiction over the place where its church, tempie, chapei, mosque, synagogue, and
21 
other places of worship used actualiy and exclusively for holding religious gatherings,
22 
rites, and services is situated, affirming that the religion or religious sect is operating
23 
in its locality.
24 
Sec. 60. Grounds for the Canceiiation of CRASM. - The NSCRG shall have the
25 
authority to cancei the certificate of registration of authority to solemnize marriage,
26 
upon due notice and hearing, and based on the following grounds:
27 
a) when the bishop or head of religion or reiigious sect of which the
28 
soiemnizing officer is a member requests for its canceiiation;
29 
b) when the solemnizing officer voluntarily requests for cancellation;
30 
c) when the solemnizing officer ceases to be a member of the religion or
31 
religious sect indicated in the certificate, or retires, or ceases to be a priest,
32 
minister, or religious minister;
34


1 
d) when the solemnizing officer is convicted by final judgment of any crime
2 
involving moral turpitude;
3 
e) when the solemnizing officer becomes permanently incapacitated to
4 
discharge the functions of the office;
5 
f) when the solemnizing officer willfully violates laws or regulations on
6 
marriage and wilifully fulfill his/her duties as solemnizing officer;
7 
g) when the solemnizing officer commits other acts in contravention of law;
8 
and
9 
h) other analogous circumstances.
10 
CHAPTER VIII
11 
COURT ORDERS AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS
12 
Sec. 61. Registration of Court Orders. - In case of a court decree/order
13 
concerning the status of a person, it shall be the duty of the clerk of court to advise
14 
the successful petitioner to have the decree/order registered in the civil registrar's
15 
office where the court is functioning, within ten (10) days after the decree/ order has
16 
become final.
17 
The successful petitioner or his/her authorized representative, in lieu of the
18 
Clerk of Court, may cause the registration of the court decree. The civil registrar
19 
concerned, upon receipt of the application for registration, shall verify the authenticity
20 
of the court decree. It is likewise the duty of the Clerk of Court who issued the decree
21 
to ascertain whether the same has been registered, and if not, to have the said decree
22 
recorded.
23 
Only court decrees that have attained finality shall be registered at the Local
24 
Civil Registry Office of the place where the court Is functioning within thirty (30) days
25 
from the date the subject court decree has become final and executory.
26 
Applications for registration of a court decree filed beyond the 30-day
27 
reglementary period for registration shall be processed subject to the rules for delayed
28 
registration as prescribed by the guidelines issued by the NSCRG.
29 
The civil registry office where the event of the decree/order was registered shall
30 
forward a certified true copy of the decision to the Office of the Civil Registrar where
31 
an event affected was originally registered in accordance to the guidelines to be issued
32 
by the NSCRG.
35


1 
Sec. 62. Registration of Divorce among Muslim Filipinos. - Divorce in
2 
accordance with taiaq or tafwidshdW be registered at the Sharia Circuit Court where
3 
the divorce occurred within thirty (30) days from the occurrence of the vital event. In
4 
the event that there is no Sharia Circuit Court in the place where the divorce occurred,
5 
the same shall be registered in the Sharia Circuit court of the place of habitual
6 
residence of the requesting party, or at the nearest Sharia Circuit Court where the
7 
divorce occurred.
8 
Divorce decree issued by the Sharia Circuit Court, once finai and executory,
9 
shall be registered by the Sharia Circuit Registrar of the place where the divorce
10 
occurred and entered in the Registry Book of Divorce within thirty (30) days after the
11 
divorce has become final and executory.
12 
The Shari'a Circuit registrar shail transmit registered copies of the Decree of
13 
Divorce and its Certificate of Finality to the appropriate office in accordance with the
14 
guideiines to be issued by the NSCRG.
15 
Sec. 63. Registration of the Dissolution of Marriages among Indigenous Peoples
16 
(IPs) or Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC). - In accordance with existing iaws,
17 
ruies and regulations, the Certificate of Dissoiution of Marriage of IPs shall be
18 
registered with the LCRO of the city or municipality where the dissolution of marriage
19 
occurred within 30 days from the confirmation of the occurrence of the dissolution of
20 
marriage: Provided, That such facts and information shall be confirmed in writing by
21 
a tribal leader, chieftain or community elder of the indigenous community to which
22 
any of the spouses beiongs.
23 
Sec. 64. Recognition of Foreign Decree or Judgment - The foreign decree or
24 
judgment must be judicially recognized by filing a proper civil action at the Regional
25 
Trial Court in the Philippines. The court decision recognizing the foreign judgment shall
26 
be registered at the LCRO where the concerned RTC functions within thirty (30)
27 
calendar days from the finality of judgment. The court decree/order together with the
28 
certificate of finality shail be submitted at the LCRO where the marriage is registered
29 
for annotation.
30 
Sec. 65. Registration of Judicial Declaration of Presumptive Death. - The Clerk
31 
of Court that issues the order or the successful petitioner of the case declaring the
32 
presumptive death of a person shail submit a copy the court order/decree together
36


1 
with the certificate of finality of such decree/order to the LCR in the city or municipality
2 
where the order was issued, within thirty (30) calendar days from the time of issuance
3 
of the order, in accordance with the provisions of this Act and Executive Order No.
4 
209, s. 1987.
5 
Sec. 66. Adoption. - All adoptions processed and recognized under Philippine
6 
law shall be duly registered in accordance with this Act.
7 
The registration of Administrative Orders of Adoption shall be governed by the
8 
relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 11642, its Implementing Rules and
9 
Regulations, and other relevant issuances.
10 
Sec. 67. Rectification of Simulated Birth Records. - The registration of
11 
rectification of simulated birth records shall be governed by the relevant provisions of
12 
Republic Act No. 11222 as amended by Republic Act No. 11642, and its Implementing
13 
Rules and Regulations and other relevant issuances.
14 
Sec. 68. Registration of Legal Instruments. - The following shall be recorded
15 
in the legal instrument.
16 
a) Affidavit of reappearance;
17 
b) Affidavit of Acknowledgment under the Civil Code;
18 
c) Acquisition of citizenship;
19 
d) Acquisition of traditional title upon completion of Hajj or Ada (Sectiom 17 of
20 
Republic Act No. 
9997);
21 
e) Administrative reacquisition and retention of citizenship under Republic Act
22 
No. 9225;
23 
f) Renunciation of Philippine citizenship;
24 
g) Authorization and ratification of artificial insemination;
25 
h) Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract marriage;
26 
i) Legitimation;
27 
j) Option to elect Philippine citizenship;
28 
k) Marriage settlements and any modification thereof before the celebration of
29 
marriage;
30 
I) Repatriation document with oath of allegiance;
31 
m) Dissolution of marriage among indigenous people or within cultural
32 
communities in accordance with their customs and traditions;
37


1 
n) Affidavit to use the surname of the father;
2 
o) Affidavit of Admission of Paternity;
3 
p) Petition and distribution of properties of spouses and deiivery of the
4 
children's presumptive iegitimate;
5 
q) Waiver of rights/interests of absolute community of property; and
6 
r) Such other registrable legal instruments as may be determined by the
7 
NSCRG.
8 
Sec. 69. Place of Registration. - As a generai rule, all legal instruments shali be
9 
registered in the civil registry of the piace where they were executed except for the
10 
following:
11 
a) Affidavit of Reappearance;
12 
b) Marriage Settlement;
13 
c) Admission of Paternity or equivalent document, Acknowledgement,
14 
Legitimation, Voluntary Emancipation of Minor, Artificial Insemination; and
15 
d) Affidavit to use the surname of the father.
16 
Sec. 70. Registration of Affidavit of Reappearance. - A sworn statement of the
17 
facts and circumstances of reappearance of a spouse declared to be absent or
18 
presumptively dead shall be recorded with the local civil registration office where the
19 
marriage of the subsequent spouse was recorded, and where the judicial declaration
20 
of presumptive death was recorded. The affidavit of reappearance shall be annotated
21 
both in the first and subsequent marriage of the spouses.
22 
Sec. 71. Registration of Marriage Settlement - The marriage settlement signed
23 
between parties prior to the celebration of marriage to fix their property relations
24 
within the limits provided by the family code shall be registered in the LCRO where
25 
the marriage was registered.
26 
Sec. 72. Registration of Admission of Paternity or Equivalent Document,
27 
Acknowledgment, and Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father (AUSF). - The sworn
28 
statement recognizing paternity of a chiid shail be registered as prescribed under
29 
Republic Act No. 9255 or other reievant laws.
30 
Sec. 73. Registration of Affidavit of Legitimation. - The Affidavit of Legitimation
31 
shall be registered in the LCR where the birth was registered subject to Republic Act
32 
No. 9858 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation.
38


1 
Sec. 74. Registration of Affidavit of Ratification of Artificiai Insemination. -
2 
Children conceived as a result of artificial insemination of the wife with the sperm of
3 
the husband or that of a donor or both are iikewise legitimate children of the husband
4 
and his wife: Provided, That both of them authorized or ratified such insemination in
5 
a written instrument executed and signed by them before the birth of the child. The
6 
instrument shall be recorded in the civil registry together with the birth certificate of
7 
the child.
8 
Sec. 75. Registration of Reacquisition of Phiiippine Citizenship under Repubiic
9 
Act No. 9225. - The Oath of Allegiance together with the Order of Approval shall be
10 
registered at the LCRO or Philippine Foreign Service Post where the Oath of Allegiance
11 
was executed within thirty (30) days from its execution, in accordance with the existing
12 
laws and Implementing Rules and Regulations.
13 
CHAPTER IX
14 
CIVIL REGISTRY DATABASE
15 
Sec. 76. Civii Registry Documents as Prima Facie Evidence of Vitai Events. -
16 
The registry books making up the civil register, the office files in hard copies and its
17 
corresponding digital files of the civil registrar's offices, certifications or certified copies
18 
from these files and all other documents relating thereto shall be considered public
19 
documents and shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of the facts contained
20 
therein.
21 
The civil registrar shall not, under any circumstance, permit any document
22 
entrusted to his care to be removed from his office, except upon lawfui order of the
23 
court, in which case the proper receipt shall be secured.
24 
Sec. 77. Data Privacy and Confidentiaiity of Civii Registration Records. - All
25 
processes, databases, and information gathered through and stored in the civil
26 
registration and vital statistics system shall be processed in accordance with Republic
27 
Act No. 10173.
28 
The NSCRG shall adopt such controls and safeguards as are appropriate and
29 
necessary to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to its data and
30 
records, and that the confidentiality of the information handled and processed by the
31 
civil registration and vital statistics system is protected at all times, in accordance with
39


1 
relevant provisions of Presidential Decree No. 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare
2 
Code, as amended, and Republic Act No. 10173.
3 
The NSCRG shall issue policies and guidelines on the copy issuance of civil
4 
registry documents which shall be in accordance with the principles of transparency,
5 
proportionality, and legitimate purpose.
6 
The presumption of regularity shall apply to copy issuances done in accordance
7 
with the above provisions.
8 
Sec. 78. Generation and Sharing of Civii Registration and Vitai Statistics
9 
Information. - Civil registration information shall be the primary source of vital
10 
statistics. The PSA shall regularly publish vital statistics and reports, in accordance
11 
with the Philippine Statistical Act.
12 
The PSA shall likewise share information to other government agencies
13 
including local and provincial government, which shall be proportionate to the
14 
purposes of their respective requests and in accordance with relevant provisions of
15 
Presidential Decree No. 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code, as amended, and
16 
Republic Act No. 10173.
17 
CHAPTER X
18 
DIGITALIZATION
19 
Sec. 79. Digitai/Eiectronic Reporting of Births, Death and Marriages. - The
20 
NSCRG, in coordination with the DICT, shall develop and adopt appropriate technology
21 
to facilitate and improve civil registration and vital statistics system that will digitalize
22 
civil registration processes and facilitate the digitization of the national register, local
23 
registers and other records. The NSCRG may, for this purpose, issue guidelines:
24 
a) on digitalization of civil registration processes and digitization of the national
25 
register, local registers, and other civil registration records;
26 
b) on the requirements for the adoption of the civil registration and vital
27 
statistics system, or its interoperability or integration with IT systems
28 
adopted, by LCRs, district/circuit registrars, foreign service posts, health
29 
facilities, BCRS and other government stakeholders;
30 
c) to enable the use of electronic or digital signatures for registration of vital
31 
events in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8792.
40


1 
All national and local registers and all civil registration records forming part of
2 
said registers, shall conform to the guidelines set by the NSCRG, in coordination with
3 
the DICT taking into consideration new technologies available.
4 
The NSCRG may prescribe the form of civil registry documents and reports,
5 
which may be in printed hard copy, electronic or digitized files, to be used by the LCR,
6 
Shari'a Circuit Registrar, or Consul General/Consul and Vice Consul.
7 
Sec. 80. Interoperability of CRVS to Philsys Database. - The civil registration
8 
and vital statistics system shall be interoperable with the Philippine Identification
9 
System (PhilSys) as governed by Republic Act No. 11055, where applicable. The
10 
NSCRG shall issue guidelines to ensure that the civil registration system is securely
11 
shared and made interoperable to the PhilSys.
12 
Sec. 81. E-fiiing System. - The office shall establish an electronic system for
13 
the following:
14 
1) Filing of petitions under Republic Act No. 9048 as amended by Republic Act
15 
No. 10172;
16 
2) Submission or Application for Annotation under Republic Act No. 9858;
17 
3) Application for Registration of the Certification of Registration of Authority
18 
to Solemnize Marriage;
19 
4) Application of Supplemental Report of more than two omitted entries;
20 
5) Petition for Cancellation of CRASM; and
21 
6) Appeals and other processes related to civil registration.
22 
Sec. 82. Posting and Publication Requirements. - Posting and publication
23 
requirements as provided under this Act and other relevant laws such as Republic Act
24 
No. 9048, Republic Act No. 10172, marriage license, delayed registration and other
25 
relevant civil registration processes shall be under the prescribed implementing rules
26 
and regulations.
27 
Above provisions notwithstanding, posting through the official PSA central and
28 
field office websites or official government website shall constitute compliance of the
29 
posting and publication requirement as provided under civil registration laws.
30 
CHAPTER XI
31 
PENAL PROVISIONS
32
41


1 
Sec. 83. Offenses and Penalties. -
2 
a) It shall be prohibited for any natural or juridical person or entity to commit
3 
or facilitate the commission of any of the following acts:
4 
1) forging civil registration documents, certificates, and registers;
5 
2) willful falsification, alteration, or tampering of civil registration
6 
documents, certificates, and registers;
7 
3) submitting false information in registering vital events;
8 
4) using, abetting to use, or possessing falsified or illegally obtained
9 
certificates and security papers;
10 
5) profiteering and unauthorized facilitation of registration and copy
11 
issuance of civil registry documents.
12 
Any person who commits the foregoing violations shall, upon conviction, be
13 
punished with imprisonment of six (6) years but not more than twelve (12) years or a
14 
fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than
15 
One million pesos (Phpl,000,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
16 
b) It is prohibited for any government employee or official, solemnizing
17 
officers, or for any medicai practitioner, attendant, or heaith facility officer
18 
authorized to prepare civil registry documents to:
19 
1) intentionally prepare/aid or abet in the preparation of a certificate
20 
containing false or fraudulent information;
21 
2) intentionally and knowingly issue certificates containing false
22 
information;
23 
3) make any unauthorized alteration in civil registration documents,
24 
certificates, and registers; and
25 
4) intentional withholding of information or refusing to inform the LCR
26 
of a vital event.
27 
Any government employee or official, solemnizing officers, or for any medical
28 
practitioner, attendant, or health facility officer who commits the foregoing violations
29 
shall, upon conviction, be punished with imprisonment of six (6) years but not more
30 
than twelve (12) years or fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos
31 
(P100,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00), or both, at the
32 
discretion of the court.
42


1 
In all instances, if the violation was committed by a government official or
2 
employee, the penalty shall include perpetual absolute disqualification from holding
3 
any pubiic office or empioyment in the government, including any GOCCs, and their
4 
subsidiaries.
5 
The above vioiations shail be without prejudice to the filing of criminal cases in
6 
accordance with the Revised Penai Code and other special penal laws.
7 
c) Non-payment of hospital fees not bar to registration, it shall be unlawful for
8 
health facilities and responsibie personnei, and medical practitioners, to
9 
refuse to report or cause the registration of a vital event due to non-
10 
payment of hospital fees.
11 
Any government employee or official, or any medical practitioner or health
12 
facility who commits the foregoing vioiations shall, upon conviction, be punished with
13 
imprisonment of six (6) years but not more than tweive (12) years or fine of not less
14 
than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than One million pesos
15 
(P1,000,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
16 
This provision shali be without prejudice to other penaities and fines that may
17 
be imposed on government empioyees and officiais for misfeasance, maifeasance, and
18 
other acts and omissions prohibited by law.
19 
In case of acts committed by private individuais, the penaities imposed in this
20 
Section shall be in addition to those imposed on acts or omissions punishable by
21 
existing penal and other laws.
22 
In case of acts committed by juridical persons, the penalty shall be imposed on
23 
its president, manager or most senior officer.
24 
Sec. 84. Quasi-Judicial Function. - PSA shail have the power to review decisions
25 
rendered over the following:
26 
a) Appeai / Reconsideration of the decisions of stakeholders regarding
27 
petitions under RA 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172;
28 
b) Appiication/ Canceilation of Certificates of Authority to solemnize marriage
29 
(CRASH);
30 
c) Review decisions rendered by LCRs and/or C/MCRs on Petitions for
31 
Canceilation of COLB of Persons with no Known Parents, as provided under
32 
Repubiic Act No. 11767;
43


1 
d) Act on and render decisions on petitions in accordance with the provisions
2 
of Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172; and
3 
e) Other analogous cases as may be provided under this Act and other relevant
4 
laws.
5 
The Legal Office of the PSA shall be responsible for the exercise of the quasi-
6 
judicial function of the NSCRG. To better implement the provisions of this Act and
7 
attain its objectives and purposes, the Legal Service of the PSA shall be reorganized
8 
and strengthened into a Legal Office which shall perform the functions provided for
9 
under this Act.
10 
The Legal Office of the PSA shall be headed by a Director V. There shall be
11 
three (3) Services under the Director V headed by Director IV:
12 
1) Legal Operations and Administrative Support Service;
13 
2) Litigation and Enforcement Management Service;
14 
3) Legislative Affairs and Regulatory Compliance Service.
15 
Sec. 85. Power to Block Civil Registry Documents in the Civil Registry Database.
16 
- The PSA may, motu proprio, block the copy issuance of the subject civil registry
17 
document in the civil registry database upon initial findings of fraud, subject to
18 
guidelines to be issued by NSCRG.
19 
Sec. 86. Special Committee on Cancellation of Fraudulent Birth Certificates- A
20 
Special Committee on Cancellation of Birth Certificates, herein referred to as the
21 
"Committee", is hereby created for cancellation of birth certificates registered through
22 
fraudulent means by a foreign national. The Committee is composed of the following:
23 
(a) Civil Registrar General of the PSA, as Chairperson; and
24 
(b) Representatives of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Local
25 
Government, and Justice with a rank of Undersecretary, and the Office of the Solicitor
26 
General with a rank of Assistant Solicitor General, as members.
27 
The special committee shall cancel Birth Certificates of a foreign nationals
28 
registered through fraudulent means.
29 
The special committee shall convene and act as a collegial body in rendering a
30 
decision. The Decision of the majority shall prevail. The presence of the Chairman and
31 
one (1) Member shall constitute a quorum. The NSCRG shall have the power to enlist
32 
the assistance of law enforcement and investigative bodies to determine the existence
44


1 
of the above ground to cancel fraudulent birth certificates. Such investigation must be
2 
compieted within a period of not exceeding fifteen (15) days.
3 
The Decision shali be promulgated and the findings and recommendation
4 
submitted not later than thirty (30) days from the date of the deliberation. Should the
5 
committee need more time to make a written decision of findings and recommendation
6 
in view of the nature of the case, the chairman thereof shall report the case to the
7 
NSCRG who may grant an extension of time if he considers it necessary.
8 
The Decision of the Committee shaii be appeaiabie to the NSCRG, whose
9 
decision shall be final and executory, unless a timely appeal was made pursuant to
10 
the prescribed rules. The decision on appeal shall be put in writing and promulgated
11 
not less than fifteen (15) days from the time the case is submitted for decision.
12 
Sec. 87. Power to Cancel the Registration of Fraudulent Birth Certificates. -
13 
Pursuant to the Decision rendered by the Special Committee in cases covered by
14 
Section 86, the NSCRG shall cancel the subject fraudulent birth certificates.
15 
The document owner whose civil registration document is subject to
16 
canceilation or any person who is adverseiy affected by the Decision rendered by the
17 
Special Committee, may avail of the remedy under Section 89 (Appeals) of this Act.
18 
Sec. 88. Cancelled Fraudulent Birth Certificates. - Upon the finaiity of judgment,
19 
the Speciai Committee shaii notify the concerned LCRs, Sharia District/Circuit Cierk of
20 
Court, Consul General/Vice Consul/Consul, of the finality of the Decision who shall
21 
then cancel the affected fraudulent birth certificates. In accordance with the above
22 
provision the fraudulent birth certificates shaii only be re-issued upon issuance of a
23 
court order.
24 
Sec. 89. Appeals. - Any person whose interest is affected by a decision or
25 
inaction by an LCR, Shari'a district/circuit registrar, Philippine foreign service officer,
26 
or any officer who performs civil registration functions under this Act, may appeal the
27 
decision or inaction to the NSCRG within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the decision
28 
of the Speciai Committee, in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
29 
Appeals from decisions of the NSCRG may be made in accordance with Rule 43
30 
of the Rules of Court.
31 
Sec. 90. Withholding of Documents Due to Non-Payment of Hospital Fees. - In
32 
no case shall failure to settle hospital bills, in fuli or in part, be a ground for non-
45


1 
delivery or withholding of the certificate of live birth or certificate of death or
2 
documents required in the issuance of the said certificates.
3 
Sec. 91. Use of Income. - Ten percent (10%) of the income generated from
4 
the civil registration services shall be retained for the upgrading of equipment, system,
5 
database, physical facilities and operations of the civil registration office.
6 
Sec. 92. Transitory Provisions. - For the first two (2) years from the effectivity
7 
of this Act, or until otherwise earlier declared by the NSCRG, the existing rules,
8 
guidelines, standard operating procedures and forms for the registration of vital events
9 
shall continue to be effective to ensure the continued provision of civil registration
10 
services. The NSCRG may issue guidelines to clarify which procedures shall continue
11 
in effect, notwithstanding the effectivity of this Act.
12 
Sec. 93. Appropriations. - There shall be an initial appropriation of One hundred
13 
fifty million pesos (P150,000,000.00) in the General Appropriations Act, which will be
14 
included in the PSA's budget for the initial development of software and the digitization
15 
of the CRVS system files.
16 
Sec. 94. Mandatory Review. - This Act shall undergo a mandatory review on its
17 
provisions every five (5) years to make the law more responsive to the needs of the
18 
times. The review shall be made by Congress, which shall conduct public hearings and
19 
record relevant testimonies of functionaries in the civil registration system, which shall
20 
be the basis of any amendment or modification of this Act.
21 
Sec. 95. Impiementing Ruies andReguiations (IRR). - Within one (1) year from
22 
the effectivity of this Act, the PSA, shall promulgate the IRR for the effective
23 
implementation of this Act. The PSA may consult with the DFA, DOH, DILG, DOJ,
24 
Office of Solicitor General (OSG), Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), DSWD,
25 
NACC, NCIP, NCMF, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), DepEd, the University of
26 
the Philippines Law Center (UPLC), a national professional organization of LCRs duly
27 
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Privacy
28 
Commission (NPC), BI, DICT and other concerned agencies and stakeholders related
29 
in the formulation of the IRR.
30 
Sec. 96. Separabiiity Cause. - If any part or provision of this Act which shall
31 
be held to be invalid or unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof which are
32 
not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
46


1 
Sec. 97. Repealing Clause. - Act No. 3753 or the Law on Registry of Civil Status
2 
is repealed. Sections 453, 454, and 479 of the R.A. 7160 or the Locai Government
3 
Code of 1991, R.A. No. 9048 amended by R.A. No. 10172, R.A. No. 9858, and R.A.
4 
No. 10625 are also hereby amended accordingly. All other laws, rules, regulations,
5 
orders, memoranda or circulars inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are
6 
hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.
7 
Sec.98. Retroactivity. - This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as it does
8 
not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights.
9 
Sec. 99. Effectivity. - This Act shali take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
10 publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
47