THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
’04 >Il!L -7 
P 1 :.7!? 
First Regular Session 
1 
L 
Introduced by Senator Pangilinan 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It i s  a fact that most “adoptions” in the Philippines have been and 
continue to be handled through “simulation of birth”. It is estimated that there 
are several hundred thousand Filipinos who have been “informally” adopted in 
this manner. I these cases, because the assumed filiation under simulated 
births 
has no legal basis, the child i s  deprived of the benefits and legal 
adopted children. 
The Domestic Adoption Act of 1998 which was signed into law on 
February 25, 1998 and which took effect on March 22, 1998, provides for an 
amnesty from pecuniary and penal sanctions for those who have been falsified 
the birth certificate/s of minor/s in their custody through the registration of a 
simulated birth certificates. 
Since CY 1998 to CY 2001, only a total of 364 applicants have availed of 
the amnesty against the estimated number of those who simulated the birth 
registration of minors. 
The low number of applicants can be attributed to the unreadiness of 
the “parents” to legalize the adoption and their ambivalence to tell the chi(d 
of hidher legal status. Also, it was known that parents complained about the 
tedious process in the rectification of the simulated birth. Further, the public 
has misconception towards the amnesty provided by law. 
In view of the above, educating and informing the public on the facts of 
rectification of the simulated birth requires time, effort and money. For those 
who falsified birth certificates, the amnesty period given to them will expire in 
March 2003. Considering the time left between now and the expiry date, the 
information dissemination efforts of the concerned agencies to encourage the 
people to avail the amnesty may ineffective. Hence, an amendment seeking 
the extension of the deadline i s  hereby proposed.-. 
It i s  important that this proposed bill extending the deadline fro the 
rectification of simulated births to march 2008 or ten years from March 1998, 
the effectivity date RA 8552, be passed by Congress to allow who wish to avail 
of the amnesty to comply with the provisions provided by law and to have the 
opportunity to fully enjoy the benefits of a legally adopted child. 
For this reason, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
,------ 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
‘04 ,JUL -’? p 1 2‘3 
First Regular Session 
) 
6- 
S E N A T E  
~
~
~
:
BV : 
_.,.^_I__- 
s*z*m 
5. 6. No. 
09 
Introduced by Senator Pangilinan 
AN ACT EXTENDING THE PRESCRIPTIVE PERIOD FOR RECTIFICATION OF 
SIMULATED BIRHTS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER 
8552, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DOMESTIC ADOPTION ACT OF 1998 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION I, 
Section 22 of the Republic Act No. 8552 is hereby amended 
to read as follows: 
“Section 22. Rectification of Simulated Births. - A person who has, [prior 
to the effectivity of this Act,] simulated the birth of a child shall not be 
punished for such act: Provided, That the simulation was made for the best 
interest of the child and that he/she is consistently considered and treated by 
that person as hidher own son/daughter: 
Provided further, That the 
application for the correction of the birth registration and petition for adoption 
shall be filed within [five (5)] TEN (10) years from the effectivity of this act and 
completed thereafter: Provided finally, That such person complies with the 
procedures as specified in Article IV of this Act and other requirements as 
determined by the Department.” 
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following i t s  
publication in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official 
Gazette. 
Approved,