NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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of tlif £ ' n rtaLP
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SENATE
S. No. 332
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*22 i JUL 12 AlO 33
RECEIVED BV.
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF BIRTH REGISTRATION OF 
CHILDREN IN NEED OF SPECIAL PROTECTION (CNSP) IN THE 
PHILIPPINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child 
which provides the following important declarations:
"Article 2.
a. States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the 
present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction, without 
discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her 
parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, 
political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, 
disability, birth or other status.
b. States Parties shall take all appropriate measure to ensure that the 
child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on 
the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the 
child's parents, legal guardian, or family members.


"Article 7.
a. The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the 
right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far 
as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.
b. State Parties shall ensure the Implementation of these rights in 
accordance with their national law and their obligations under the 
relevant international instruments in the field, in particular where the 
child would otherwise be stateless.
"Article 8.
a. States parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve 
his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as 
recognized by law without unlawful interference.
b. Where a child is illegally deprived of some or all of the elements of his 
or her identity. States Parties shall provide appropriate assistance and 
protection, with a view to re-establishing speedily his or her identity."
Timely birth registration is a fundamental right of every child. This is 
expressly set forth in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and enshrined in the 
Declaration of Human Rights on the right of an individual to his identity and 
nationality - treaties to which the Philippines is a signatory. It is the primary act 
towards the recognition of an individual by the State, ti .e onset of establishing his 
legal identity and the entitlement to the benefits and protection afforded by the 
State to its citizens.


As the documentary proof of birth registration, a Certificate of Live Birth or 
Birth Certificate is the primary document which ensures access to basic services such 
as health and medical assistance, financial grants and education. The Birth 
Certificate also facilitates^ the exercise of fundamental freedom rights such as the 
right to vote and be voted for; right to inherit; seek employment; access social 
security benefits; buy and own properties; and to further secure other documentary 
identification. It is likewise a necessary document to establish family Lies and better 
opportunities for the child thru the process of adoption. As a component of the civil 
registration system of aj country, it contributes to the effective governance by 
providing data that will feed into the provision of services and comprises a part of an 
efficient response to the needs and requirements of the populace.
Consequently, an unregistered individual may have limited or no access to the 
abovementioned entitlements and opportunities. An unregistered child not only will 
have diminished access to medical, educational and social benefits provided by the 
State, s/he is likewise susceptible to abuses on account of minority, such as 
commercial and sexual exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking. Verily, the brunt 
of non-registration is exponentially greater for the Children In Need of Special 
Protection (CNSP).
To this category belong children who are vulnerable to or are victims of 
abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination, violence, and other conditions 
prejudicial to their development. As a vulnerable and disadvantaged group, CNSPs 
are in greater need of the State's protective arm. The non-registration of their births 
makes them more invisible to the State's development?! radar that could otherwise 
include them in priority programs on health, nutrition, education and protection.


As a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and obliged to 
its inherent duty as Parens Patriae, the Philippines must abide by the UN CRC's 
primary tenets of advancing and protecting the rights of its children, in consonance 
with both the domestic and global context. By providing an enhanced framework on 
birth registration of CNSPs, there is an assurance of wider statistical coverage and 
improvement in compliance by all stakeholders.
This bill is earnestly recommended for enactment without delay.
GRACE POE


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
)
SENATE 
S. No. 332
of ii)f S >
JUL 12 A10 33
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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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. The following words and phrases shall mean: 
a) Armed conflict 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


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i Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, including their common Article 3,
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apply. Armed conflict may be international, that is, between two (2) or more
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States, including belligerent occupation; or non -international, that is, between
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governmental authorities and organized armed groups or between such groups
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within a state. It does not cover internal disturbances or tensions such as riots,
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isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other acts of similar nature;
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b) Birth Registration is the continuous, permanent and universal recording within
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the civil registry, of the occurrence and characteristics of births in accordance
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with the legal requirements of the Philippines;
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c) Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) refer to all persons below 18
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years of age, or those 18 years old and over but are unable to take care of
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themselves because of physical or menial disability or cond'tions; who are
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vulnerable to or are victims of abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty,
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discrimination, violence (armed conflict, domestic violence), natural calamities,
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man-made disasters, and other analogous conditions prejudicial to their
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development, at any given time. CNSP include but are not limited to:
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1. 
Sexualiy/physically-abused children;
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2. 
Children In commercial sexual exploitation;
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3. 
Children at risk and in conflict with the law;
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4. 
Children in situations of armed conflict;
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5. 
Working children or victims of child labor;
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6. 
Children in various circumstances of disability;
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7. 
Children directly affected by HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted
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infections (STIs);
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8. 
Street children;
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9. 
Children with substance abuse;
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10. Mentally challenged children;
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11. Abandoned children/children without primary caregiver;
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12. Displaced children/refugee children/stateless children;
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13. Foundlings as defined under Rule 26 of AO No. 01, series of 1993.


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For purposes of this Act, the term CNSP shall include all children under the
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defining circumstances of this Section, who may be located in child-care
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foundations or elsewhere.
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d) Child Case Study Report refers to a written report prepared by a social worker
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containing all the necessary information about a child;
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e) CNSP Certification refers to the document issued by the DSWD Regional Field
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Office affirming the CNSP status of the child;
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f) City or Municipal civil registrar refers to the head of the local civil registry office
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of the city or municipality, as the case may be, who is appointed as such by the
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city or municipal mayor in accordance with the provisions of existing laws;
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g) Disaster \s a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society
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involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and
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impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope
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using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a result of the
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combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that
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are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the
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potential negative consequences. Disaster Impacts may include loss of life,
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injury, disease and other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social
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well-being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of
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services, Social and economic disruption and environmental degradation.
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Disasters may be further classified as:
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1. Natural disasters: including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcano
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eruptions that have immediate Impacts on human health and secondary
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impacts causing further death and suffering from (for example) floods,
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landslides, fires, tsunamis;
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2 Environmental emergencies, including technological or industrial
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accidents, usually involving the production, use or transportation of
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hazardous material, and occur where these materials are produced, used
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or transported, and forest fires caused by humans;


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3. Complex emergencies: involving a break-down of authority, looting and 
attacks on strategic installations, including conflict situations and war; 
and
4. Pandemic emergencies:. Involving a sudden onset of contagious disease 
that affects health, disrupts services and businesses, and brings 
economic and social costs.
h) DSWDshhW 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 \s any person who finds or rescues a CNSP as defined In this Act;
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 ^ouit 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.
l) Negative Certification is a declaration issued by the Philippine Statistics 
Authority that they do not possess the requested record of birth.


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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)v^as 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 primaiy data 
collection and compilation of secondary data, i.e., 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; 
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 ail 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


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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 Regiementary 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.
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 after the official pronouncement of the cessation thereof.
Sec. 7. Requirements for the Registration of CNSPs. - The fo'lowing 
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
c) Certification from the nearest DSWD Regional Field Office that the child is a 
CNSP indicating the following information:
1. Name of the child;


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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. Regular Reporting. - The LCR 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.
Sec. 12. Pena! Provisions. - Any person who refuses to comply with the 
provisions of this Act or any violation of the preceding Sections fined the amount of 
Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00), 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 Statistics Authority (PSA), the Council for the


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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. Appropriation. - 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 shall 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,