Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4022

Introduced by HON. ROZZANO RUFINO B. BIAZON

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This proposed measure proposes to establish a civil registration and vital statistics

system (CRVS) that would provide for free, accessible, simple and expeditious birth

registration for all, especially children, with no discrimination. Such a system is envisioned to

be more inclusive through the establishment of a culturally sensitive registration process,
addressing the unique cultural practices and identification systems of indigenous peoples.

The Philippines faces several challenges in its current CRVS. In a study conducted by
Plan International, Filipinos identified lack of access to registrar offices as one of the main
challenges in registering. According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency
Fund, there are 7.5 million Filipinos unregistered (UNICEF 2007). Additionally, cultural
barriers especially among certain populations like Muslim Filipinos and indigenous peoples
and financial barriers among poor and those in remote and far-flung areas hinder complete and
timely registration.

A responsive and comprehensive CRVS can help development planners in generating
reliable data including but not limited to population growth, trends in civil status, causes of
mortality and other relevant demographic indicators, needed to craft national development
plans and services. Complete and accurate data are needed in evaluating the country's
compliance to global standards such as the sustainable development goals.

‘A comprehensive CRVS system also has a positive impact on the protection of the
fundamental right of a person. For instance, birth registration, one of the most important
components of a CRVS fulfills the fundamental right to have a legal identity. With an
accessible registration system, Filipinos, especially children, would be one step closer to
accessing basic social services such as education, housing and healthcare; entitlements like
recognition of familial affiliations, inheritance, and right to vote; and opportunities in education
and employment. They are also protected from several forms of exploitation, human
trafficking, child labor, early and forced marriage, abuse, and erroneous inclusion in the adult
justice system.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

wdc labo

Representative
Lone District, Muntinlupa City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4022

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. ROZZANO RUFINO B. BIAZON

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE CIVIL
REGISTRATION AND VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR, 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 “Comprehensive and
Responsive Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ The State shall promote and maintain an efficient,
responsive, inclusive, and accessible civil registration and vital statistics system. It shall
standardize and modemize registration procedures to establish the identity of all its citizens for
administrative and legal purposes. Towards this end, efficient and simplified procedures in
recording vital events must be applied in civil registration in order to establish the most precise
identity of an individual for the benefit of the general public.

Sec. 3. Coverage. — This Act shall embrace all acts, events, and judicial and
administrative issuances affecting the civil status and vital statistics of persons in the
Philippines and all Filipino citizens abroad, including children with at least one Filipino parent.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms are defined as
follows:

a) 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 (LCR) in civil registration work, as provided in Section 394 (d)
(5) RA 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of the Philippines;

b) Birth Attendant — refer exclusively to persons with midwifery skills such as licensed
doctors, midwives, and nurses who have been trained to proficiency in the skills
necessary to manage normal deliveries and diagnose, manage, or refer obstetric
complications;


°)

Child — any person below 18 years of age or older who is unable to fully take care of
himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of
a physical or mental disability or condition;

d) Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) ~ shall 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 condition; who are vulnerable to or are victims
of abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination and violence (armed conflict,
domestic violence and other analogous conditions prejudicial to their development)

©)

Circuit Registrar — refers to the Clerk of Court of a Shari’a Circuit Court performing as
Circuit Registrar of Muslim marriages, divorces, revocations of divorces, and
conversions with the respective court’s jurisdiction, as provided in Title VI, Book Two
of Presidential Decree No. 1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal
Laws;

f) Civil Registration ~ refers to the continuous, permanent, universal and compulsory
documentation of occurrences and characteristics of vital events in the life of a person,
including any modifications thereof during his lifetime and until his death, as provided
for by this Act;

Civil Register ~ refers to the various civil registry books and related certificates and
documents where registrable acts, events, and judicial and administrative issuances
concerning the civil status of a person are recorded and kept in the archives of the Civil
Registrar’s Offices, Philippine Consulate Offices, Shari’a District and Circuit Courts,
and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);

g)

h)

Civil Registrar (CR) — refers to the head of the Local Civil Registry Office (Civil
Registrar's Office), the Consul General (CG) in the Philippine Consulate Offices, or
the Clerk of Court in Shari’a District and Circuit;

i) Civil Registrar General (CRG) — refers to the head of the PSA who is also the National
Statistician of the government of the Philippines;

j) Consul General (CG) ~ refers to the head of a Philippine Consulate Office acting as

Civil Registrar of all civil registry documents involving Filipinos in a foreign country;
k) Civil Registry Document ~ refers to a certificate or any document relating to the civil
status of a person which is recorded and kept in the archives of the Civil Registrar's
Offices, Philippine Consulate Offices, Shari’a District and Circuit courts and the PSA;

1) District Recorder (DR) — refers to the Clerk of Court of the Shari'a District Court
performing civil registration-related functions as District Recorder of Muslim
marriages, divorces, revocation of divorces, and conversions with the respective court’s
territorial jurisdiction, as provided in Title V1, Book Two of Presidential Decree No.
1083 otherwise known as the Code of Muslim Personal Laws;

m) Foundling — any person who is abandoned and whose parentage is unknown;


n)

Legal Instrument — refers to any legal documents that would be officially issued
pursuant to this act;

©) Live Birth ~ refers to a complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product/s
of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, 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 or the placenta is attached;

p) Local Archive Authority (LAA) ~ refers to the LCR or his authorized official of the
LCRO of each Local Government Unit who has the duty to establish, keep and maintain
the local archives, to include its mandatory digitization of all civil registry documents
for the herein provided Digital Linkages and Interconnection of All Participating
LRCOs.

q) Local Civil Registrar (LCR) — refers to the head of the Civil Registrar's Office;

2

‘National Statistician — the head of the PSA acting as the CRG for the purpose of this
Act;

s) Out-of-Town Reporting — occurs when 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; and

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) — refers to the central statistics authority of the
Republic of the Philippines headed by the National Statistician.

See. 5. The Civil Registry System. — The Civil Registry System shall be composed of
the Registration Service (CRS) in the Philippine Statistics Authority under the Civil Registrar
General (CRG), the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar and the Barangay Civil
Registration System. The Civil Registry System issues registry instruments, recommends and
executes policies related to the civil registration of vital events, from the national and local
civil registry structures of the State.

Sec. 6. Duties and Functions of the Civil Registration Service. — The Civil Registration
Service (CRS) shall have the following duties and functions:

a. Policy-making Functions. — The CRS shall have the following policy-making
functions and responsibilities:

1. Prepare and promulgate the implementing rules and regulations pertaining to
civil registration laws and all subsequent issuances relative thereto, in close
collaboration with the DILG and the PACR; and

2. Issue circulars and memoranda pertaining to civil registration enhancements.

b. Provision of Technical Support to Local Civil Registry Offices. ~ The CRS shall
provide the following technical support to local civil registry offices:

3


. Provide and exercise technical supervision over city/municipal civil registrar

offices and other local civil registry officers; and

. Assist Civil Registrars for the reconstruction of Local Archives as the need

arises.

c. National Civil Registry Depository. — Act as the national central depository of all
civil registry documents submitted by all civil registry offices of the Philippines.

Sec. 7. Duties and Functions of the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar. — The
C/MCR shall be have the following duties and functions:

a. Primary Authority in Local Civil Registration. — The Office of the C/MCR shall be
responsible for the civil registration programs in the local government unit concerned, pursuant
to this Act, other existing laws, rules and regulations. This includes the following
responsibilities:

: &

2

Administration of oaths, free of charge, for civil registry purposes:

Exercise quasi-judicial functions in cases of clerical or typographical errors and
change of first name or nickname, the day and month in the date of birth or sex
‘of a person where it is patently clear that there was a clerical or typographical
error or mistake in the entry, or the petitioner for the change of first name or
nickname finds the first name or nickname to be ridiculous, tainted with
dishonor or extremely difficult to write or pronounce, has been habitually and
continuously used by the petitioner and has been publicly known by that first
name in the community or the change will avoid the confusion as provided for
under existing laws.; and

. Submit status reports to the CRG on the condition of civil registry documents

filed his/her civil registry office whenever there are substantial changes in the
status of his files, in case of fire, flood, earthquake and other natural and or
manmade calamities;

b. Issuance and Organization of Local Civil Registry Documents. — As much as
practicable, assist in the preparation, accept and register all registrable events and documents
occurring within his or her jurisdiction affecting the civil status of persons. This function entails

the following:
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Make civil registry forms available at all times in the civil registry office;

File registrable certificates and documents presented to him or her for entry;

. Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or document registered,

upon payment of the prescribed fees;

. Compile copies of every document registered and transmit to CRG within the

first ten (10) calendar days of the succeeding month;


5. Receive all registrable documents and transcribe in the corresponding civil
register all documents accepted for registration; and

6. Receive applications for the issuance ofa marriage license and after determining
that the requirements and supporting certificates and publication thereof for the
prescribed period have been complied with, shall issue the license upon
payment of the authorized fee for the local treasurer.

c. Depository of Local Registry. - The Office of the C/MR shall have the following
duties and functions in securing the local registry:

1. File, keep and preserve in a secured place the civil registry books as required by
law;

2. Reconstruct destroyed civil registry records upon compliance with the
requirements following the procedures established by the CRG; and

3. Classify, digitize, index and preserve all registered documents in accordance
with the appropriate archiving procedures.

d. Executory and Planning Funetions. ~The C/MCR shall develop plans and strategies
and upon approval thereof by the mayor, implement the same, particularly those which pertains
to civil registry programs and projects.

e. Provide Civil Registry Education and Technical Support. ~ Conduct community
education campaigns on vital registration and assist in the preparation of demographic and
other statistics for the local government unit concerned the Barangay Civil Registration
System.

£ Recommendatory Functions Aiding Policies on Local Civil Registration. —
Recommend to the legislative bodies and collaborate with administrative agencies in the
formulation of systems, procedures, policies, rules and regulations on civil registration

Sec. 8. Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS). — There shall be a Barangay Civil
Registration System established where elected and appointed barangay officials shall be
mandated to assist in the facilitation of civil registration within their area or jurisdiction subject
to the provision of this Act.

‘The BRS shall be composed of the Barangay Captain, the Barangay Secretary and the
Barangay Civil Registration Assistant. The Barangay Captain shall submit the names of the
Barangay Secretary as Ex-Officio Barangay Civil Registration Officer (BCRO) and other
deputized barangay officials as Barangay Civil Registration Assistant (BCRA). The BRCA
shall assist in the registration of all vital events of every individual within the area of
jurisdiction to the Local Civil Registrar's Office

Sec. 9. Culturally Sensitive Registration System. ~The CRG, in cooperation with the
heads of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National Commission on
Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(BARMM), Philippine Association of Civil Registrars, National Commission on Culture and
Arts (NCCA), and distinguished anthropologists and selected elders and leaders of IPs, shall

5


cause the formulation and implementation of an Indigenous Peoples Civil Registration System
(IPCRS) that is sensitive and appropriate to the unique cultural practices and identification
systems of IPs: Provided, that the IPCRS shall be harmonized with existing laws and systems
on civil registry.

In recording the birth of IPs delivered in the traditional customs and practices of the
indigenous community, the report as to the circumstances of the birth by any of the parents or
by the tribal doctor or tribal midwife who attended to the delivery shall be conclusive upon the
Local Civil Registrar (without need for further proof) and PSA.

The IPCRS shall consider the various ethnic affiliations of the IPs in the country. For
this purpose, the PSA Administrator, acting as the Civil Registrar General, instead of issuing
separate forms for the IPCRS, shall cause the amendment of the existing civil registry forms,
for uniformity of all civil registry documents to ensure acceptability by end-user agencies or
institutions of the facts and information contained in said documents and ease of establishing
filial bonds between or among parents or parents and child.

In the absence of any identifying document, the self-ascription or ascription by any of
the parents or tribal leader or elder shalll suffice to establish the identity of IPs when applying
with the LCR/PSA for recording birth, marriage or death.

Sec. 10. Registration of Muslim Filipinos, Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) or
Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP). ~ Muslim
Filipinos, ICs or IPS and CNSP, by reason of their socio-cultural, religious, and indigenous
peculiarities, and vulnerabilities, shall be registered as follows:

a. Muslim Filipinos. — Civil registration of Muslim Filipinos shall be governed by
Presidential Decree No. 1083, Executive Order No. 157, series of 1994, and its implementing
rules and regulations;

b. Indigenous Peoples. — Civil registration of indigenous cultural communities or
indigenous peoples shall be governed by RA No. 8371 and its implementing rules and
regulations;

c. Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP). ~ Civil registration of Children in
Need of Special Protection (CNSP) shall be governed by the provisions of this Act, special
laws, and implementing rules and regulations, in coordination with the Department of Social
Welfare and Development and other concerned agencies.

Sec. 11. Civil Registry Books. — The Civil Registrar shall keep, update, and preserve
the following books in their offices:

a) Register of births — the records of birth in the civil registry;

b) Register of births of persons without known parents — the records of abandoned in the
civil register;

c) Register of Deaths — the record of death of a deceased in the civil register;
d) Register of Marriages ~ the records of solemnized marriage in the civil register;

6


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events:

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Register of Court Decrees or Orders ~ the records of court decree or order concerning
the status of a person in the civil register:

Register of Legal Instruments ~ the records of legal instruments executed affecting the
vital events of a person in the civil register;

Register of Applications for Marriage License ~ the records of application of marriage
license in the civil register;

Register of Conversion to Islam — the records of conversion to Islam religion ofa person
in the civil register;

Register of Muslim Filipino Marriages ~ the records of marriage of a Muslim Filipino
in the civil register;

Register of Muslim Filipino Divorces ~ the records of divorce of a Muslim Filipino in
the civil register;

Register of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICC/IPs) Marriage
Dissolutions ~ the records of ICCs/IPs dissolution of marriage in the civil register; and

Register of ICCs/IPs Revocation of Marriage Dissolutions — the records of ICCs/IPs
revocation of marriage dissolutions.

Sec. 12. Registrable Acts and Events. — The following are the registrable acts and

. Birth;

Death;
Application for Marriage License;

Marriage:

. Court Orders or Decrees; and

Legal Instruments.

‘The registrable orders or decrees of courts and other competent authorities are the

following:

a

meee

. Voluntary Recognition of Minor Illegitimate Chil

Adoption;

. Rescission of Adoption;

Annulment of Marriage;
Declaration of Nullity of Marriage;

. Declaration of Presumptive Death;

Compulsory Recognition of Illegitimate Child:



h. Appointment of Guardian;

i. Termination of Guardianship;

j. Judicial Determination of Filiation;

k. Naturalization — All forms of naturalization;

1. Cancellation of Naturalization;

m. Judicial Determination of the Fact of Reappearance, if Disputed;

n. Separation of Property:

©. Revival of Former Property Regime:

p. Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad: and

q. Other orders/decrees that pertain to the civil status and vital statistics of a person.

The civil registrar shall properly enter the registrable events and court orders or decrees.

Sec. 13. Free Registration of Vital Civil Registry Events. — The registration of births,
deaths and marriages are hereby declared a national policy. No fees shall be imposed and
collected in the registration of these events, whether or not these are registered on time. All
supporting documents as prerequisite to birth registration shall also be free.

The first copies of civil registration certificates shall be free. For issuance of succeeding
copies of civil registry documents, a minimal fee prescribed by the CRG may be collected. A
standard fee to be set by the CRG shall be collected for the registration of registrable judicial
and administrative issuances or orders and legal instruments.

Sec. 14. Registration and Certification of Birth. — The declaration of the physician,
midwife, nurse, birth attendant, finder or in default thereof, the declaration of either or both
parents or any person who has knowledge of the facts of birth of the newborn child shall be
sufficient for the registration of birth in the civil register.

The duly accomplished Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) containing the above
declaration shall be submitted for registration to the Civil Registrar’s Office where the birth
occurred within thirty (30) calendar days from date of birth by the aforementioned persons,
declaring the following when available:

a.) Full name of the child;

b,) Sex;

c.) Date of birth;

d.) Place of birth or where found;

¢.) Name of mother;

£.) Citizenship of the mother;

g.) Name of father;

h,) Citizenship of the father;


i.) Date and place of marriage of parents; and
j.) Such other data as may be identified in the implementing rules and regulations of
this Act.

Birth and other civil registry records of persons when any or some of the following
information is absent or missing: the usual middle initial or middle name, citizenship if
stateless, names of parents if unknown, date of marriage if inapplicable, or when an individual
has only one birth name or any analogous circumstances, shall have equal acceptability and
respect before all government, public, private, commercial, and business transactions where
these documents are presented. All regulatory bodies such as, but not limited to the Securities
and Exchange Commission and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, shall adhere to this law and
adopt the necessary rules and regulations to implement this act.

‘The fetus is considered born if it is alive at the time it is completely delivered from the
mother’s womb and shall be considered as live birth and shall be registered in the Register of
Births.

‘The fetus is not deemed born if it dies within twenty-four (24) hours after its delivery
from the mother’s womb. But for statistical purposes, a COLB shall be prepared in duplicate,
where in a copy shall be forwarded to the Office of the Civil Registrar-General and the other
for Civil Registrar’s file.

All cases of birth on board a vessel or airplane en route to the Philippines shall be
recorded in the civil register of the city or municipality where the mother habitually resides if
either of the parent is a citizen of the Philippines or both are. When the parents are both
foreigners but not residents of the Philippines, the birth may be recorded in any civil registry
office in the Philippines, if they so desire.

‘Abandoned children or foundlings whose parents, guardians or relatives are unknown,
or children committed to an orphanage or a child-caring institution with unknown facts of birth
and parentage, shall be registered by the finder or charitable institution concerned within thirty
(30) days from the date of finding or commitment of the child with the C/MCR of the place
where such person was born. The CRG shall issue a COLB to these children.

All LCR/PSAs jin partnership with LGUs shall provide mobile birth registration
services especially in all Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) under their
jurisdiction.

Sec. 15. Delayed Registration of Birth. — A person who has not been registered with the
Civil Registrar's Office at the place of birth or where found shall apply for delayed registration
within the prescribed period of thirty (30) calendar days upon discovering that no entry of birth
has been recorded in the Register of Births.

For delayed registration, resort to out-of-town registration of birth may be allowed,
where the place of application for registration is other than the place of birth of the person
seeking to be registered. The LCR/PSA and PSA shall issue a COLB free of charge regardless
of delay. A person who has not been registered before the office of the C/MCR and PSA where
he or she was born within the prescribed period of thirty (30) calendar days shall apply on the
basis of his or her nearest kin. The informant and affiant must show authentic proof of the


identity of the person to be registered, the facts of his birth, his parentage and other relevant
data.

In the implementation of this act, LCR/PSA should conduct regular review to assess
the accessibility of registration and design and implement programmatic interventions to
address gaps in CRVS, with PSA as the central office for data management and standards.

The record of a person’s birth shall be kept strictly confidential and any treatment
thereof shall be fully compliant with the Data Privacy Act.

See. 16. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program. ~ To ensure that the
efficient and effective delivery of civil registration services and meet the demand for quality
civil registrars who shall perform civil registration functions, the Civil Register-General
together with LGU, shall conduct continuing education and training program for Civil
Registrars, Consul Generals, District Recorders, and Circuit Registrars and their staff, in
collaboration with relevant partners in government, academe, industry, and non-governmental
organizations. Such training programs shall be initiated, conducted based on Training Needs
Analysis, and evaluated regularly throughout the year to ensure constant upgrading of skills of
the Civil Registrars, Consul Generals, District Recorders, and Circuit Registrars, and their staff.

Sec. 17. Free Delayed Registration and Certification of Birth. — Local government units
are mandated to implement a free delayed registration program for persons whose births have
not been registered and certified due to such factors as poverty, distance, or lack of literacy.
‘The Sangguniang Barangay shall assist in the implementation of the program through the
Barangay Civil Registration System.

‘The OCRG, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) shall jointly prepare a Free Delayed Registration
Program for Indigenous Peoples (FDRIP) which shall be implemented by the local government
units and the NCIP regional or local offices in the localities concerned.

Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the OCRG shall issue
implementing rules and regulations for the free delayed registration and certification of birth
covering the foregoing.

Sec. 18. Strict Confidentiality of Birth Records. — The record of a person’s birth shall
be kept confidential and no information relating thereto shall be issued except in accordance
with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and upon request of the following:

a) The concerned person herself/himself, or any person authorized by him;
b) Spouse;

Any of or both the parents, direct descendants, or the guardian or institution legally
in-charge in case of a minor;

©)

d) The Court or appropriate public official whenever absolutely necessary in
administrative, judicial or other official proceedings to determine the identity of the
child’s parents or other circumstances surrounding the birth; and

10


©) The nearest kin in case of a person’s death.

Sec. 19. Registration and Certification of Death. - No human body shall be buried or
cremated unless the proper death certificate has been presented and recorded in the Civil
Registrar’s Office,

‘The physician who attended the deceased, or in his default, the health officer concerned,
any member of the family of the deceased or any person having knowledge of the death shall
immediately report the same to the local health authorities who shall issue a death certificate
and shall order the same to be recorded before the Civil Registrar’s Office at the place of death.

The death certificate which shall be issued by the attending physician of the deceased
or, in his default, by the authorized health officer, shall indicate the following data, which shall
be furnished by the person reporting the death to the civil registrar:

a) Full name of the deceased;

b) Sex;

©) Age;

d) Civil status;

e) Nationality;

F) Date of birth;

G) Place of birth;

h) Date of death;

i) Place of death;

j) Full names of the deceased’s parents;

k) Cause of death; and

1) Such other relevant data that may be required.

‘The surname to be entered in the registry of death and the Death Certificate shall be the
surname used prior to the person’s death. In case the deceased is a legally married woman,
informants shall register the death using the surname she chose as a legally married person.

The registration of death shall be made within thirty (30) calendar days from the time
and date of death before the Civil Registrar’s Office at the place of death, or the Philippine
Consulate Office in the foreign country where the death happened.

In the absence of the City/Municipal Health Officer or his authorized representative in
the place of registration, or when it is a non-working day and the health officer or his authorized
representative is not expected to be in the office, the death shall be reported by the nearest kin
of the deceased or by any person having knowledge of the death within forty-eight (48) hours
after its occurrence, to the Mayor or to the Vice Mayor or any member of the Sangguniang
Bayan/Panlungsod or to the Municipal/City Secretary, who shall issue and sign the medical
certification of the Certificate of Death for burial, cremation, and registration purposes.

11


When the death is subjected to a medico-legal examination, or the cause of death is
under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or other concerned
government office and the body of the deceased is subjected to autopsy or examination of the
medico-legal officers and no record of death has been registered, the head of the NBI or other
investigative agency or the duly authorized representative shall cause the registration of such
death through the City or Municipal Health Officer at the place of death.

‘The medico-legal officer shall accomplish and sign the medical certification portion of
the Certificate of Death, subject to the review of the City or Municipal Health Officer.

Sec. 20. Delayed Registration of Death. — A deceased person’s facts of death that have
not been registered within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of death shall be allowed
delayed registration before the Civil Registrar's Office at the place of death. In any case, out-
of-town registration of death may be allowed.

Sec. 21. Registration of the Application for Marriage License. — An application for
marriage license shall be filed by the contracting parties before the Civil Registrar where one
of the parties resides. The Civil Registrar shall enter all applications in the Register of
Applications for Marriage License strictly in the order of receipt of applications. The Civil
Registrar shall record in said register the names of the applicants, the date on which the
marriage license was issued, and such other data as may be necessary.

No application shall be received by the Civil Registrar unless supporting documents are
attached thereto and no application shall be posted unless it is received by the Civil Registrar.
Registration of the application shall only take place after the completion of the posting period.

lll applications for marriage license shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of
EO. No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines.

Sec. 22. Registration of Marriage. — All marriages shall be registered by the
solemnizing officer before the Civil Registrar’s Office of the place where they were
solemnized.

a) Incase of marriages solemnized while in transit:
i. Enroute to, ot within the Philippines, the marriage shall be registered at the place
of residence of either party; or

ii. Leaving the Philippines, the marriage shall be registered at the consulate of the
Philippines in the place of destination of the parties, or in the absence thereof, to
the nearest Philippine consulate from the place of destination.

b)_Incases of registration of traditional marriages and dissolution of marriages among IPs.

‘The report of marriage among and between IPs solemnized in accordance with
customary laws, rites, traditions and practices by the person duly authorized to perform the
ritual or ceremony and by the parties to the marriage shall be conclusive upon the LCR/PSA
without need for further proof. For this purpose, the NCIP shall submit to the PSA a list of IPs
recognized by each indigenous community to solemnize marriage according to its customary
laws or practices. The PSA shall issue a Certificate of Registration of Authority to Solemnize
Marriage (CRASM) to such IPs for free.

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In the case of indigenous communities whose traditional marriage ceremony does not
require the presence of a solemnizing officer, as determined by the NCIP, the report by the
contracting parties shall be conclusive upon the LCR/PSA without the need for further proof
except personal confirmation, orally or in writing, by any of the parents or by a tribal leader or
elder of the indigenous community to which any of the spouses belong. For this purpose, the
NCIP shall furnish the PSA and the LCR/PSAs with a list of indigenous communities falling
under this paragraph: Provided, That pending the submission of such list, the oral or written
confirmation of the tribal leader or elder shall be conclusive upon the LCR/PSA.

The dissolution of marriage of IPs following customary indigenous laws and practices
shall be directly recorded with the LCR/PSA without need of court intervention: Provided,
That such facts and information shall be confirmed orally or in writing by a tribal leader or
elder of the indigenous community to which any of the spouses belongs.

lll marriages shall be registered within thirty (30) days from the date of the marriage.
Marriages registered after the stipulated period shall be considered late registration and an
administrative fee shall be imposed on the solemnizing officer. In no case shall double or
multiple registration of marriages be allowed, except for cases provided by law.

Sec. 23. Multiple Registration. ~ In cases of multiple registrations of birth, marriage and
death, the first duly registered document shall prevail, unless the Court orders otherwise.

For multiple marriages by and between the same parties, the first marriage shall prevail,
and not the first registered marriage of such parties.

Sec. 24. Registration of Solemnizing Officers. - All solemnizing officers shall be
registered with the Office of the CRG, except those who are not required to be so registered as
provided for by law or existing rules.

‘The Mayor, with the assistance of the Civil Registrar's Office, shall determine
documents pertaining to the existence of religious sects.

Sec. 25. Registration of Court Orders. — In case of court issuance or order concerning
the status of a person, the Clerk of Court shall advise the successful petitioner to register such
document before the Civil Registrar’s Office which has jurisdiction on the issuing court. In
cases of legal separation, absolute nullity of void marriages and annulment of voidable
marriages, the prevailing party shall cause the registration of the decree in the Civil Registrar's
Office where the marriage was registered, the Civil Registrar's Office where the family court
is situated, and in the PSA. Such party shall report to the Court compliance with this
requirement within thirty (30) days from receipt of the copy of the decree.

In case a person other than the petitioner shall apply to register a court order before the
Civil Registrar's Office, the LCR has the responsibility to verify the veracity of the court
issuance or order, otherwise, registration thereof shall be refused.

‘The Civil Registrar's Office where the event was registered shall forward a certified
true copy of the order to the Civil Registrar's Office where the vital event affected was
originally registered. The Civil Registrar's Office where the vital event was originally
registered shall make proper annotations in the document and in the applicable registry book.

B


The Civil Registrar's Office which has jurisdiction over the original registry shall send a
certified true copy of the annotated document and the registered court order to the CRG.

Each corrected document shall be reported to the Office of the CRG during the usual
reporting month.

All court order shall be registered within thirty (30) days after its finality, otherwise it
shall be considered as delayed registration.

All court orders shall be effected through annotations in the civil registry document
except in an adoption case when the child shall be entitled to the issuance of an amended COLB

Sec. 26. Registration of a Child Born Abroad to at Least One Filipino Parent. — The
parents shall cause the registration of the birth of their child to the Philippine Consulate which
in turn shall issue a Report of Birth within thirty (30) calendar days from date of birth of a
Filipino child. declaring the following when available:

a) Full name of the child;

b) Sex;

©) Date of birth;

d) Place of birth or where found;

¢) Name of mother;

£) Citizenship of the mother;

g) Name of father;

k.) Citizenship of the father;

1.) Date and place of marriage of parents; and

m.) Such other data as may be required in the implementing rules and regulations of
this Act.

Sec. 27. Registration of Persons Without Known Parents. ~ Persons without known
parents, guardians or relatives, or a person committed in an orphanage or charitable institution
with unknown facts of birth and parentage, shall be reported by the finder to the Barangay
Chairperson or any member of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC)
of the place where the person was found, or to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women
and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD), whichever is nearer or convenient to the finder,
stating the facts and circumstances surrounding the finding of the person. When the report is
duly noted, the finder shall bring the child to the nearest Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) office in the region, for proper screening, assessment and evaluation by
an authorized social worker within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of finding or
commitment of the child. The finder shall execute a sworn statement before the Barangay
Captain stating the facts and circumstances surrounding the finding of the person.

In case of foundlings found in Philippine Consulates, embassies and territories, the
relevant Philippine Consulate shall abide by the eventual State policy (by virtue of this Act) on
foundling.

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The finder or charitable institution concerned shall cause the registration before the
Civil Registrar’s Office where such person was found within thirty (30) calendar days from the
date of entrustment to the institution.

Any report made after the thirty-day period shall be considered late registration, and
the concerned party shall be required to state in a sworn statement the circumstances that caused
the late reporting to the civil registrar.

Should the foundling become adopted, the Local Civil Registrar shall stamp the
simulated birth record “cancelled” with an annotation of the issuance of a new rectified
certificate of birth in its place. The rectified birth certificate bearing the names of the biological
parents of the child or the foundling certificate shall then likewise be stamped “cancelled” with
the annotation of the issuance of a new birth record in its place, and shall be sealed in the civil
registry records. Thereafter, the Local Civil Registrar shall record, register, and issue a new
certificate of birth which shall not bear any notation that it is a new or amended issue.

Sec. 28. Registration of Adoption. — The decree of adoption shall be recorded in the
civil register within thirty (30) days after the date of issue of the final judgment of the court.

After registration of the decree of adoption, the Civil Registrar's Office where the birth
of the adopted was registered shall immediately issue an amended COLB.

Such COLB of an adopted child shall not bear any mark or annotation or any indication
of the facts of adoption. It shall have the same entries as those appearing in the original records
of birth, except for the following items of information:

a) Name of the adopted — The first name of the adopted child shall be the same as in
the original COLB unless the order of adoption carried an order changing it to
another name. The middle name of the adopted child shall be the same as the middle
name of the adopter, except when the husband and the wife jointly adopted the
child, in which case, the middle name of the adopted shall be the surname of the
adopting mother.

The surname of the adopted child shall be that of the adopter. If the husband and
wife jointly adopt the child, the adopted child shall use the surname of the adopting
father.

b) Names of parents ~ The names of the natural parents of the adopted child shall be

substituted by the names of the adopting parents, to be indicated in the appropriate

spaces in the COLB as the father or mother, as the case maybe; and

Other information — Other information about the adopting parents such as
citizenship and religion shall be indicated in the appropriate spaces of the amended
certificate of live birth.

(3

‘The birth order of the adopted and other information about the adopted shall follow
the information given by the adopting parents, unless the court order states
otherwise. In cases where legally married husband and wife jointly adopt the child,
the date and place of marriage of the adopting parents shall be entered in the
appropriate spaces of the amended certificate of live birth of the adopted child.

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In all cases of adoption, no amendment or changes shall be effected in the civil
registry books where the original birth records were duly registered, except for the
marginal annotation by virtue of the adoption decree.

In case the adopted child has no known parents, the basis for the issuance of the
amended COLB shall be the court order.

In cases of the adopted child via administrative adoption on cases of the rectification
of simulated birth, pursuant to Article V of Republic Act No. 11222 otherwise
known as the Simulated Birth Rectification Act:

a) On Civil Registry Records for Rectified Simulated Birth. — Upon receipt, the
Local Civil Registrar shall stamp the simulated birth record, “cancelled”,
with annotations of the issuance of the rectified birth record. This applies to
birth certificates bearing the name of the biological parents of the child,
foundling certificate and any COLB of the child prior the simulated birth.

b)

On Issuance of New Birth Certificate for Rectified Simulated Birth. ~ A new

COLB shall be issued through the Local Civil Registrar for purposes of
record, and registration, without bearing any notation that it is new or

amended.

auAnrwn

The new COLB, shall indicate the following information:

- Place of registration;
. Birth order;
. Name of adoptive parent/s;

Age:

. Date and place of marriage (when applicable);

. Informant and Person who prepared the new COLB.

The LCR shall immediately transmit said COLB to the PSA to be included
in the registry of adoptions, including the number of cancelled simulated
birth registrations.

Sec. 29. Registration of Presumptive Death. — A judicial order or decree declaring a
person presumably dead for purposes of remarriage shall be registered in the office of the local
civil registrar of the place where the marriage was solemnized. It shall be annotated and
recorded. The registration shall be annotated in the marriage register as well as in the marriage

certificate.

Sec. 30. Registration of Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad. — All foreign court
orders involving status of persons residing in the Philippines shall be registered before the Civil
Registrar's Office where the affected document is registered. These foreign court orders, to be
legal and binding in Philippine jurisdiction, must first be recognized by the appropriate
embassy of such country here in the Philippines or Regional Trial Court or which has the lawful

jurisdiction over such case.

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Sec. 31. Registration of Legal Instruments. — As a general rule, all legal instruments
shall be registered in the civil registry of the place where they were executed except for the
following:

a) Affidavit of Reappearance — where the parties to the subsequent marriage are residing;
b) Marriage Settlement — where the marriage is recorded;
c) Admission of Paternity, Acknowledgment, Legitimation, Voluntary Emancipation of

Minor, Artificial Insemination — where the birth of child was recorded.

Sec. 32. Registration of Affidavit of Reappearance. ~ A sworn statement of the facts
and circumstances of reappearance of the absentee spouse shall be recorded in the civil registry
office where subsequent marriage of the present spouse was recorded, at the instance of any
interested person, with due notice to the spouses of the subsequent marriage and without
prejudice to the fact of reappearance being judicially determined in cases where such a fact is
disputed.

Sec. 33. Registration of Affidavit of Acknowledgment or Affidavit of Admi
Paternity. ~ It shall be the duty of parents or parent who executed the affidavit
acknowledgment to send the original copy to the Civil Registrar’s Office where the entries on
the birth of the child were recorded for registration in the Register of Legal Instruments and for
proper annotation in the Register of Births.

Sec. 34. Registration of Repatriation. ~ The instrument of repatriation and the oath of
allegiance to the Constitution and the Government of the Philippines, shall be filed in the Civil
Registrar’s Office of the place where the instrument was executed: Provided, That if the
Philippine citizenship is reacquired by naturalization, the order of the court or any mandated
(omnibus) authority granting citizenship shall be recorded in the Register of Court Order.

Sec. 35. Civil Registry Documents as Public Documents. ~The registry books making
up the civil register, the office files in hard copies and its corresponding digital files of the Civil
Registrar’s Office, certifications or certified copies from these files and all other documents
relating thereto shall be considered public documents and shall be prima facie evidence of the
truth of the facts therein contained. These public documents, except those documents which
are to be kept strictly confidential as provided for under this act and other applicable laws shall
be opened to the public during office hours and shall be kept in a secured place which shall be
furnished to civil registrar at the expenses of the funds of the civil registrar’s office, Philippine
consulate office, or Shari’a court concerned.

The civil registrar shall not, under any circumstances, permit any document entrusted
to his care to be removed from his office, except upon lawful order of the court, in which case
the proper receipt shall be secured.

Sec. 36. Digital/Electronic Reporting of Births, Death and Marriages. ~ There shall be
a. compulsory reporting of all occurrences of births, deaths, and marriages from all barangays
in the Philippines. As Barangay Registration Agents, all Barangay Secretaries or their
authorized representatives are hereby mandated to report these events using appropriate and
duly-inspected secure electronic devices to the LCR/PSA and other government agencies
mandated by law to monitor the status of registration of vital civil registry events and shall

7


assist the subsequent registration thereof. Continuing skills training relevant to
digital/electronic reporting of births, deaths and marriages of Barangay Registration Agents
shall be provided by the PSA, LGU, PACR and other accredited government and private
institutions and organizations. This training shall equip Barangay Registration Agents with the
knowledge and skills needed to properly implement digital/electronic civil registration.

Sec. 37. Development of National Civil Registry Database (NCRD) Software. — The
National Government thru the National Computer Center in close coordination with the PSA,
the PACR, and the DILG shall develop official software responsive to the NCRD
implementation. Participation and assistance of international and local private organizations
having parallel objectives on the full development of digital civil registration may be sought in
the development of this software. Among other features, this software shall include the highest
degree of data security to ensure the integrity of its database.

Sec. 38. Digitization of all Civil Registry Files. ~ All registered documents in the
LCR/PSA shall be digitized. In addition to the usual reports and forwarding of the printed hard
copy files, digitized files shall also be submitted to the PSA as back up files of the National
Civil Registry Database (NCRD), for digital archiving purposes.

Sec. 39. False Statements. — Any person who shall knowingly make false statements
in the furnished forms and present the same for entry in the civil registers shall be penalized in
accordance with law unless it was done for the best interest of the child

False statements on the rectification of simulated birth of a child shall be granted
amnesty pursuant to Republic Act No. 11222 or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act:
Provided, That such act was made in the best interest of the child.

Sec. 40. Digitalization of Linkages and Interconnection of All Participating LCR/PSA.
~ All capable LCR/PSA shall be interconnected to facilitate retrieval, online certifications, and
for local government revenue generation using LGU-linked NCRD digital files. Participating
LCR/PSA are hereby authorized to issue certifications from NCRD for and in behalf of other
LCR/PSA subject to pertinent laws, rules or regulations on the confidentiality of birth records.

Sec. 41. Withholding of Documents Due to Non-payment of Hospital Fees. ~ In no case
shall failure to settle hospital bills, in full or in part, be a ground for non-delivery or withholding
of the certificate of live birth or certificate of death or documents required in the issuance of
the said certificates.

Sec. 42. Use of Fees and Income Collected. — All fees that are remitted to the PSA by
the National Treasury and all income that the PSA is allowed to retain under law shall, any
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, be used primarily for operating expenses
including capital outlay, upgrading of its current facilities, acquisition of office and space, and
establishment of satellite offices in the provinces, and other activities or services the PSA in
the performance of its mandate needs.

Sec. 43. Construction. ~ In the interpretation of this law, the best interest of the child
shall prevail.

Sec. 44. Penal Provisions. — Persons in authority who knowingly fall to perform their
duties in relation to this Act shall be held administratively liable in accordance to law.

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Any solemnizing officer without being authorized by the Civil Registrar General or
who, upon solemnizing marriage, refuses to exhibit his authority to solemnize marriage when
called upon to do so by the parties or parents, grandparents, guardians or persons having charge
of the parties; or any bishop or officer, priest, minister, or Imam, of any church, religion or
sect, the regulations and practices whereof require bans or publication previous to the
solemnization of marriage that is subsequently declared illegal, or any solemnizing officer in
violation of this Act, shall be punished with a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos
(PhP50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP100,000.00) or
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not to exceed three (3) years, or both, and the
revocation of the authority to solemnize marriage, upon the discretion of the Court.

The attending physician, midwife, nurse, birth attendant, hospital administrator in-
charged to cause the registration of live births but knowingly fails or withholds the delivery of
copies of the certificate of live birth to the city or municipal civil registrar for registration, or
any person who caused the failure of delivery, shall be penalized with a fine of not less than
Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP50,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or both,
upon the discretion of the Court.

Sec. 45. Appropriations. — There shall be an initial appropriation of One Hundred Fifty
Million Pesos (Php 150,000,000.00) in the General Appropriations Act, which will be included
in the PSA’s budget for the initial development of software and the digitization of the Civil
Registrar's Office files.

Sec. 46. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The PSA, in consultation with all
stakeholders and relevant departments and agencies of the government, shall, within sixty (60)
days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 47. Transitory Provisions. ~The PSA shall carry out the reorganization of the civil
registrars in such a manner that personnel of such office absorbed by the PSA shall continue to
perform their respective duties and responsibilities in a holdover capacity so as not to unduly
delay the production of statistics from ongoing censuses, surveys and processing of
administrative records.

Sec. 48. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act which shall be held
to be invalid or unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby
shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 49. Repealing Clause. — Act No. 3753 or the Law on Registry of Civil Status is
repealed. Sections 454, and 479 of the Republic Act No. A 7160 or the Local Government
Code of 1991, are also hereby repealed. All other laws, rules, regulations, orders, memoranda
or circulars inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed and modified accordingly.

Sec. 50. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in any newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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