FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC } 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Francis N. Pangilinan 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is 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. In these cases, because the assumed filiation under simulated births 
have no legal basis, the child is 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 certificatels of minorls 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 child of hislher 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 expired last March 2003. The information dissemination efforts of the concerned agencies to 
encourage the people to avail of the amnesty was ineffective. Hence, an amendment seeking the extension 
of the deadline is hereby proposed. 
It is important that this proposed bill extending the deadline for the rectification of simulated births 
to March 2008 or ten years from March 1998, the effectivity date of R.A. No, 8552, be passed by Congress 
to allow those 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. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ] 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
I 
First Regular Session 
I 
Introduced by Senator Francis N. Pangilinan 
AN ACT 
EXTENDING THE PRESCRIPTIVE PERIOD FOR RECTIFICATION OF SIMULATED BIRTHS 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 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 1. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 8552 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 22. Recfificafion of Simulated Birth. - A person who has, [prior to the 
effectivity of this Act,] simulated 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 helshe 
is consistently considered and treated by that person as hislher own sonldaughter: 
Provided, further, That the application for the correction of the birth registration and 
petition for adoption shall be filed within [five@)] TEN (IO) 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." 
SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in any two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette. 
Approved,