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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 939

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF BIRTH REGISTRATION OF
CHILDREN IN NEED OF SPECIAL PROTECTION (CNSP) IN THE PHILIPPINES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Every child deserves to be seen, protected, and given a fair startin life. One of the most
basic rights a child should have is the right to a legal identity and to be officially recognized as
a person through birth registration. This is not just a piece of paper. A birth certificate opens
the door to many essential services, such as attending school, receiving healthcare, applying
for government aid, and eventually obtaining a job or identification. It also confirms a child’s
name, nationality, and family ties.

Unfortunately, many children in the Philippines still do not have this important
document. According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, an estimated 3.7 million
Filipinos are unregistered, with approximately 1.4 million of them being children under the age
of 15. This means that they may struggle to enroll in school, access medical treatment, or seck
help during times of crisis. This problem is especially serious for children who are abandoned,
separated from their families, or living in remote and conflict-affected areas. Without any
official record, they are more vulnerable to neglect, abuse, and being left out of public

programs.


There have been efforts to address this. For example, in 2023, more than 1,300 children
from the Sama Bajau community and other conflict-affected areas received birth certificates
through the efforts of government and non-government groups. The Philippine Statistics
Authority is also advocating for universal birth registration, aiming to achieve a 99.5%
coverage rate. But clearly, more needs to be done to make birth registration faster, easier, and

more accessible, especially for families in hard-to-reach communities.

This proposed measure aims to make sure that all children born in the Philippines are
registered and recognized. It will put in place stronger systems to help parents. especially those
in conflict or marginalized areas, register their children without delay. Passing this bill is a
crucial step toward protecting our children’s rights, enabling them to access government

services, and ensuring that no child is left behind.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

CRISPIN DIEGO “PING” D. REMULLA


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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._5O()_

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF BIRTH REGISTRATION OF
CHILDREN IN NEED OF SPECIAL PROTECTION (CNSP) IN THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "CNSP Birth Registration
Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall uphold the right of a child to a name
and nationality and to his immediate birth registration as set forth in the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the United Nations Declaration of Human
Rights.

The State recognizes the vulnerability of Children in Need of Special Protection
(CNSP) and their greater need for care, guidance, and protection.

The State shall likewise safeguard these children from all acts of discrimination
arising from the circumstances of their birth and identity.

In this pursuit, the State shall afford their right to legal identity and protection through
an effective and responsive birth registration system.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. —

a) Armed conflict means any use of force or armed violence between States or a
protracted armed violence between governmental authorities and organized armed
groups or between such groups within that State: Provided, That such force or
armed violence gives rise, or may give rise, to a situation to which the Geneva


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Conventions of 12 August 1949, including their common Article 3, apply. Armed
conflict may be international, that is, between two (2) or more States, including
belligerent occupation; or non-international, that is, between governmental
authorities and organized armed groups or between such groups within a state. It
does not cover internal disturbances or tensions such as riots, isolated and sporadic
acts of violence or other acts of similar nature;
Birth Registration is the continuous, permanent and universal recording within the
civil registry, of the occurrence and characteristics of births in accordance with the
legal requirements of the Philippines;
Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) refer to all persons below 18 years
of age, or those 18 years old and over but are unable to take care of themselves
because of physical or mental disability or conditions: who are vulnerable to or are
victims of abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination, violence (armed
conflict, domestic violence), natural calamities, man-made disasters, and other
analogous conditions prejudicial to their development, at any given time. CNSP
include but are not limited to:
1) Sexually/physically-abused children;
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Children In commercial sexual exploitation;

Children at risk and in conflict with the law;

Children in situations of armed conflict;

Working children or victims of child labor;

Children in various circumstances of disabilit
Children directly affected by HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted
infections (STIs);

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10) Mentally challenged children;

Street children;
Children with substance abuse;

11) Abandoned children/children without primary caregiver;
12) Displaced children/refugee children/stateless children;
13) Foundlings as defined under Rule 26 of AO No. 01, series of 1993.

For purposes of this Act, the term CNSP shall include all children under the defining

circumstances of this Section, who may be located in child-care foundations or elsewhere.

d) Child Case Study Report refers to a written report prepared by a social worker

containing all the necessary information about a child:


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©) CNSP Certification refers to the document issued by the DSWD Regional Field

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Office affirming the CNSP status of the child;
City or Municipal civil registrar refers to the head of the local civil registry office
of the city or municipality, as the case may be, who is appointed as such by the city
or municipal mayor in accordance with the provisions of existing laws;
Disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society
involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and
impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope
using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a result of the combination
of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and
insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative
consequences. Disaster Impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other
negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being, together with
damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, Social and economic
disruption and environmental degradation. Disasters may be further classified as:
1) Natural disasters: including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcano
eruptions that have immediate Impacts on human health and secondary
impacts causing further death and suffering from (for example) floods,
landslides, fires, tsunamis;
2

Environmental emergencies, including technological or industrial accidents,
usually involving the production, use or transportation of (hazardous
material, and occur where these materials are produced, used or transported,
and forest fires caused by humans;

3

Complex emergencies: involving a break-down of authority, looting and
attacks on strategic installations, including conflict situations and war; and
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Pandemic emergencies: Involving a sudden onset of contagious disease that
affects health, disrupts services and businesses, and brings economic and

social costs.

h) DSWD shall refer to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office,

including its Regional Field Offices and the social welfare and development offices
of the local government units (provincial, city, and municipal);

i) Finder is any person who finds or rescues a CNSP as defined in this Act;


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j) Foundling is a deserted or abandoned infant or a child found, with parents, guardian,
or relatives being unknown, or a child committed in an orphanage or charitable or
similar institution with unknown facts of birth and parentage;

k)

Multiple Registration occurs when the same event of birth of the same party is
registered more than once. In this case, the presence of the first registration will
invalidate the succeeding registrations of the same event. However, if there is a
court order invalidating the first registration, the succeeding registration becomes
valid and thus, the LCR can legally issue certification of the requested document
based on the succeeding registration. Otherwise, the following guidelines should be
followed:
1) Same dates of vital event, different date of registration - issue the one with
earlier date of registration;
2) Same dates of registration but different registry numbers - issue the one with
the lower registry number;
3) Different dates of registration but same registry number - issue the one with
the earlier date of registration; and
4) Same entries but different dates of registration and registered In different
places - issue the one with the earlier date of registration.
1) Negative Certification is a declaration issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority
that they do not possess the requested record of birth:
m) Omnibus Certification is a list issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority
indicating whether the individuals whose records are being verified are in the
custody of the PSA. It is commonly issued upon the request of an organization,
agency, or department;
n) Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) was created pursuant to Republic
Act 10635 and is the primary agency responsible for all national censuses and
surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of selected administrative recording
systems and compilation of the national accounts. It is constituted from among the
existing personnel of the major statistical agencies engaged in primary data
collection and compilation of secondary data, i.c., the National Statistics Office; the
Technical Staff of the National Statistical Coordination Board; the Bureau of
Agricultural Statistics; and the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics;


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SEC. 4. Process for Referring a CNSP. — A Finder in custody of a CNSP shall, within
forty-eight (48) hours, refer the CNSP to any of the following receiving agencies for
documentation and evaluation:

a) Nearest Regional Field or Provincial Office of the Department of Social Welfare

and Development office or the local social welfare and development divisions; or

b) Punong Barangay of the locality where the CNSP was found; or

c) Nearest police station; or

d) Child-care foundations.

Should the receiving agency determine upon referral that the child needs medical
attention, the receiving agency shall immediately bring the child to the nearest medical facility
for necessary treatment.

The receiving agency shall thereafter endeavor to determine If the child is without a
primary caregiver or guardian or a suitable individual who can have temporary custody of the
child. In all instances, the best interest of the child shall be the paramount consideration in
choosing his/her guardian.

In the absence of any suitable guardian, the Punong Barangay or the police authority
shall facilitate the commitment of the child to the nearest Regional Field or Provincial Office
of the Department of Social Welfare and Development office or the local social welfare and
development divisions, or to a duly licensed and accredited orphanage or charitable institution.

SEC. 5. Who Shall Register a CNSP. — The following are the persons responsible to
register a CNSP:

a) The licensed social worker who has custody of the CNSP; or

b) Those persons or Institutions who are in immediate and protective custody of the

CNSP.

In both cases, a CNSP Certification issued by the nearest Regional Field Office of the
DSWD shall be presented by the custodian of the child when registering.

The persons referred to in this section should first endeavor to gather information from
anyone knowledgeable on the matter, as to whether the child has already been registered.
Otherwise, data as to the details of the child's birth should be obtained for purposes of filling
‘out the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB).

SEC. 6. Place of Registration and Reglementary Period. — The registration of CNSP
shall be made in the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the child was born, if known.
If the place of birth is unknown, the registration shall be made in the place where the child was

found.


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The registration shall be made sixty (60) days from the date of the actual custody of the
child by the persons enumerated in Section 5 hereof, except during armed conflicts,
emergencies, and disasters, in which case registration shall be made sixty (60) days afier the
official pronouncement of the cessation thereof.

SEC. 7. Requirements for the Registration of CNSPs. ~ The following requirements
shall be complied with for the registration of birth of a CNSP:

a) Negative Certification from the PSA, or any proof of declaration from the
Philippine Statistics Authority (Omnibus Certification). The Omnibus Certification
may likewise be coursed thru a PSA-accredited Non-Governmental Organization;

b)

©)

Child case study report prepared by a licensed social worker; and
Certification from the nearest DSWD Regional Field Office that the child is a CNSP
indicating the following information:

1) Name of the child;

2) Sex of the child;

3) Date of birth;

4) Place of birth;

5) Name of at least one parent; and

6) Citizenship of parent/s.

For unfilled items in the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB), the word "Unknown" is

acceptable.

The approximate date of birth of the child may be certified by medical/dental
practitioners as proof of age. Such certification shall be provided by the medical/dental
practitioner upon presentation of the requirements listed as (a) and (b) of this Section.

SEC. 8. Fees. — No fees and other related charges such as processing fees and/or
penalties shall be imposed on the registration of births of CNSPs within the reglementary
period.

SEC. 9. Multiple Registration. — in case of multiple registration of CNSPs, the PSA
guidelines on double or multiple registration shall be followed.

SEC. 10. Agribusiness Venture Laboratories. — The 1.CR shall submit the list of
registered CNSPs to DSWD and PSA every tenth day of the month.

SEC. 11, No Annotations on the COLB. ~ No annotations shall be indicated on the
Certificate of Live Birth of the CNSP. A temporary marking shall be made only for purposes
of recording and shall be subsequently erased upon final issuance of the registered COLB.


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SEC. 12. Penal Provisions. - Any person who refuses to comply with the provisions
of this Act or any violation of the preceding Sections fined the amount of One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00) to Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00), at the discretion of
the court, without prejudice to further disciplinary action against the erring officer or
medical/dental professional and the suspension of accreditation in the case of institutions.

SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) shall, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG), the Philippine Statistes Authority (PSA), the Council for the Welfare of Children

(CWC) and representatives of children's organizations and academic communities, promulgate
rules and regulations necessary for the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. — To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as
may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury.
Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous operation of this program shalll be included
in the annual appropriation of the DSWD, PSA and DILG.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent
with any provision of this Act Is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,