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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
htroduced by SENATOR COMPANERA PIA S. CAYETANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The governor acts as the "father of the province," whose task in general, is 
to look after the promotion of the general welfare of the inhabitants of component 
cities and municipalities of the province. 
As the chief 
executive of the provincial government, the governor's 
powers, duties and functions as stated in chapter 3, Article One, Section 465 of 
the Local Government Code are similar to those exercised by the municipal or 
city mayor with minor exceptions. One of these exceptions is that unlike the city 
mayor, the governor does not have the authority to solemnize marriage. 
For one reason or another, many couples nowadays choose to get 
married in civil rites. In most cases, they either seek the services of a judge or 
the mayor of their respective city or municipality. These couples ought to be 
provided a wider option on whom they would prefer to solemnize their marriage. 
As this bill seeks to grant the provincial governor as much power in 
solemnizing marriage as the mayors, in order to be of better service to his / her 
constituents, we therefore seek its immediate approval. 
h 
.CAYETANO 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S.B. No. 
Introduced by SENATOR COfiflPAfiERA PIA S. CAYETANO 
AN ACT 
AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in congress assembled: 
SECTION I. 
Article 7 of the Family Code of the Philippines is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
"Art. 7 Marriage may be solemnized by: 
(1) Any incumbent member of the judiciary within the court's 
jurisdiction; 
(2) Any priest, rabbi, imam, or minister of any church or 
religious sect duly authorized by his church or religious 
sect and registered with the civil register general, acting 
within the limits of the written authority granted him by his 
church or religious sect and provided that at least one of 
the contracting parties belongs to the solemnizing officer's 
church or religious sect; 
(3) Any ship captain or airplane chief only in the cases 
mentioned in Article 31; 
(4) Any military commander of a unit to which a chaplain is 
assigned, in the absence of the latter, during a military 
operation, likewise only in the cases mentioned in Article 
32; [or] 
(5) Any consul-general, consul or vice-consul in the case 
provided in Article IO; or 
(6) Any PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR 
SECTION 2. Article 8 of the Family Code of the Philippines is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 


Art, 8 .  The marriage shall be solemnized publicly in the chambers of the 
judge or in open court, in the church, chapel or temple, or in the office of 
the consul-general, consul or vice-consul, PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR as 
the case may be, and not elsewhere, except in cases of marriages 
contracted at the point of death or in remote places in accordance with Art. 
29 of this code, or where both of the parties request the solemnizing 
officer in writing in which case the marriage may be solemnized at a house 
or place designated by them in a sworn statement to that effect. 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 4. Effectivify. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its complete publication in the official gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general publication. 
Approved,