Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

8051
HOUSE BILL NO."

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In light of the alleged malfeasance, misfeasance and non-feasance arising out of the Philippine
Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) payments for fraudulent claims, this proposed measure
seeks to create a Philippine Death Check register which is a centralized electronic database
containing mortality data registered with the Local Civil registrar. This database will aid the
verification of death of any person in the Philippines and prevent fraudulent activities such as
electoral fraud and unlawful claiming of social benefits.

This measure also amends Section 6 of Act No. 3753 otherwise known as Law on Registry of Civil
status, to require the immediate reporting of a death to the office of the local civil registrar which
shall be within forty-eight (48) hours from the death of decedent. The local civil registrar is also
required to register mortality data in the Philippine Death Check Registrar immediately within
twenty-four (24) hours from the time of receipt.

On behalf of the people of Parafiaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought.

REP\ J : es LA,
nid District, Parafiaque te


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8051

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT
FACILITATING THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BY STRENGTHENING THE FRAUD
DETECTION, PREVENTION AND ELIMINATION CAPABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT
BY CREATING A PHILIPPINE DEATH CHECK (PDC) REGISTER AND ONLINE DEATH
VERIFICATION (ODV) SYSTEM UNDER THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY,
AMENDING SECTION 6 OF ACT NO. 3753, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "PSA Online Death Verification System
Act"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State acknowledges that lack of immediate access to
death data Is being exploited by criminals and syndicates in perpetrating fraudulent activities and
corrupt practices. The State recognizes the vital role of Information and communication
technology in protecting the government and Filipinos against Identity fraud. Therefore, It is
hereby declared the policy of the State to establish an efficient, Integrated and centralized online
death verification system that allows Immediate access to death data by government
instrumentalities, such as Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PHIC), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS),
Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) In order
to ensure early detection and prevention of Identity fraud perpetrated against the Government
and Its instrumentalities and agencies.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(a) Authentication — refers to the process of verifying the death of any person with the
Philippine Death Check Register through the Online Death Verification System.

(b) COMELEC - refers to the Commission on Election of the Philippines.

(c) Data subject — refers to an Individual whose death Is being verified.

(d) GSIS ~refers to the Government Service Insurances System created by Commonwealth
Act No. 186, as amended.


(e) HDMF - refers to the Home Development and Mutual Fund created under President
Decree No. Republic Act No. 9679.

(f) Mortality Data — refers to the Information Indicated in the Death Certificate duly
registered with the Local Civil Registrar in accordance with Act No. 3753.

(a) Personal Information ~ refers to any Information whether recorded In a material form
or not, from which the Identity of an Individual is apparent or can be reasonably and
directly ascertained by the entity holding the Information, or when put together with
other Information would directly and certainly Identify an Individual.

(h)  PHIC-refers to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation created under Republic Act
No. 7875, as amended.

(i) SSS ~refers to the Social Security System established under Republic Act No. 1161, as
amended.

Sec. 4. Philippine Death Check Register. — There shall be established a Philippine Death
Check (PDC) Register to be maintained by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PDC Is a
centralized and electronic database containing mortality data registered with the Local Civil
Registrar. PSA shall ensure the security and Integrity of the PDC by safeguarding these from data
breach and any other mode of tampering data to perpetrate fraud;

Once death Is registered with the Local Civil Registry, the Information shall be Immediately
uploaded to the Philippine Death Check Registrar Electronic System.

The PSA, in coordination with the Department of Information and Communication Technology
(DICT) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) shall Implement such programs to facilitate
Immediate access by PSA to mortality data registered with the Local Civil Registrars.

SEC. 5. Online Death Verification System. - The PSA shall establish an Online Death
Verification System, which shall be a centralized and online system for death verification that shall
ensure timely detection and prevention of Identity theft of deceased persons.

The PSA, through the Online Death Verification System shall verify the death of the data subject
upon receipt of Information necessary to verify the Identity of the data subject, as may be
required In the Implementing Rules and Regulations, and shall Immediately notify COMELEC,
PHIC, GSIS, SSS, HDMF, PVAO of the death verification result.

Except for COMELEC, PHIC, SSS, GSIS, HDMF, and PVAO, an Information Sharing Agreement
between PSA and other Government Instrumentalities or Government Agencies shall be required
prior to being granted access to the Online Death Verification System.

SEC. 6. Information Sharing. - The PSA shall Immediately make available to the COMELEC
PhilHealth, GSIS, SSS, HDMF, and PVAO, without cost, such other data In the PDC Registrar as
may be necessary for the validation of any member or beneficiary claim made with said agencies,

SEC. 7. Data Privacy and Confidentiality. — Government Instrumentalities and agencies
granted access under Section 5 of this Act shall ensure at all times the confidentiality of any
personal Information that comes to Its knowledge and possession, and the same shall be used
solely for verification and authentication purposes.


SEC. 8. Death Reporting and Registration. — To ensure an up-to-date death Information
system, Section 6 of Act No. 3753 or otherwise known as the Law on Registry of Civil Status Is
hereby amended as follows:

SECTION 6. Death certificate and register. - No human body shall be burled unless
the proper death certificate has been presented and recorded in the office of the
local civil registrar. The following physician who attended the deceased or, In his
default the health officer concerned, or In default of the latter, any member of the
family of the deceased or any person having knowledge of the death, shall report
the same to the local health authorities, who shall Issue a death certificate and
shall order the same to be recorded In the office of the local civil registrar (LCR)
WITHIN 48 HOURS FROM THE DEATH OF THE DECEDENT. The death
certificate, which shall be issued by the attending physician of the deceased or, in
his default, by the proper health officer, shall contain the following Mortality Data
be furnished by the person reporting the death; (a) date and place of death; (b)
full name, (c) age, (d) sex, (€) occupation or profession, (A)residence; (g) status
as regards marriage, (h) nationality of the deceased, and (i) probable cause of
death,

During epidemics, bodies may be buried provided the proper death certificates
have been secured, which shall be registered not later than five days after the
burial of the body.

THE LCR SHALL REGISTER THE MORTALITY DATA IN PDC REGISTRAR
IMMEDIATELY WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR (24) HOURS FROM THE TIME OF
RECEIPT.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulation. — The Philippine Statistics Authority shall Issue
rules and regulations to Implement the provisions of this Act within one hundred twenty (120)
days from the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 10. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the Initial Implementation of this
Act shall be sourced from any available funds of the National Treasurer, and is hereby
appropriated and authorized to be released for Its Initial operations.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act Is declared unconstitutional, such
sections or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and
administrative regulations or parts thereof Inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC.13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after Its publication In
the Official Gazette or In at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,