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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
EXEMPTING CHURCH MINISTERS, PRIESTS, RABBIS AND IMAMS FROM SECURING 
GOVERNMENT LICENSE TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGE, FURTHER AMENDING 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. ACT NO. 3815 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE OF 
THE PHILIPPINES, ACT NO. 3753, AN ACT TO ESTABLISH 
A CIVIL REGISTRAR, AND NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE 
ORDER NO. 1, AND FOR OTHER PUPROSE. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
When God said: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet 
for him (Genesis 2:18, KJV), the man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his 
wife and they two shall be one flesh (Genesis 2: 24, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:31 KJV), 
He was ordaining marriage and declaring it as a solemn and inviolable social institution. When 
He said: what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder (Matthew 19.6, KJV), 
God was declaring to mankind that marriage is His own personal act and authority. In effect, God 
is the one that joins and binds a man and a woman to marriage, for He did not say: “what math 
hath joined together xxx”, thus marriage is a divine, spiritual act and institution. 
Of all human institutions, God has put up the church and not the State to carry out His 
commandments, commissions, instructions and statutes. Thus, we have the separation of church 
and State which is declared and guaranteed by our Constitution, under which what is divine, and 
spiritual is within the exclusive jurisdiction and supreme authority of the church, as secular 
matters belong to the State.  
Accordingly, church ministers, priest, rabbis and imams derive their authority as such 
from divine law and not form secular law. They should not, therefore, secure authority or license 
to solemnize marriage from the government, and government’s responsibility and authority 
should be limited to the issuance of marriage license and the registration of marriages, and the 
October 26, 2022
4:48 pm
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names of church ministers, priests, rabbis and imams authorized by the church to solemnize 
marriage. 
It is, therefore, the aim of this Bill to free church ministers, priests, rabbis and imams from 
the requirement of government license to enable them to solemnize marriage, hence, its 
immediate passage is earnestly requested. 
 
 
 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
EXEMPTING CHURCH MINISTERS, PRIESTS, RABBIS AND IMAMS FROM SECURING 
GOVERNMENT LICENSE TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGE, FURTHER AMENDING 
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. ACT NO. 3815 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE OF 
THE PHILIPPINES, ACT NO. 3753, AN ACT TO ESTABLISH 
A CIVIL REGISTRAR, AND NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE 
ORDER NO. 1, AND FOR OTHER PUPROSE. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in session assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to give full meaning to the 
separation of the church and State and to the solemnity and divine nature of marriage, and to 
recognize the supreme and ultimate authority of the church over divine and spiritual matters. 
Towards this end, the State shall see to it that the authority of a church minister, priest, rabbi or 
imam to solemnize marriage shall come from the church or religious sect to which he belongs 
without the need of government license. 
SEC. 2. Art. 7 of Executive Order No. 209 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Art. 7. Marriage may be solemnized by any: 
(a) minister, priest, rabbi or imam of any church or religious sect duly authorized
by his church or religious sect 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 or to the church or religious sect that gave the solemnizing officer such
authority.
(b) ship captain or airplane chief only in cases mentioned in Article 31 of Executive
Order No. 209; or
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(c) military commander of a unit to which a chaplain is assigned, in the absence 
of the latter, likewise only in cases mentioned in Article 32 of Executive Order 
No. 209” 
SEC. 3. Authority to solemnize marriage. — A church minister, priest, rabbi, or imam who 
desires to solemnize marriage shall secure a written authority specifically for the purpose from 
the church or religious sect to which he belongs. Such written authority shall be valid and 
effective for a period of three (3) years counted from the date thereof, after which date the same 
shall be deemed automatically cancelled, unless sooner withdrawn, cancelled or suspended by 
such church or religious sect. It shall be duty of the church or religious sect giving such authority 
to register the name of the minister, priest, rabbi or imam given authority  to solemnize  marriage  
with the Philippines Statistics Office within ten (10) days from the issuance of the authority. 
SEC. 4. Duty to register. — The church or religious sect shall forward to the Philippines 
Statistics Office the list of church ministers, priest, rabbis or imams issued written authority to 
solemnize marriage together with a copy of such authority within ten (10) days from issuance 
thereof. Upon receipt thereof, the Philippines Statistics Office shall immediately register the 
names of such church ministers, priests, rabbis or imams in a Book especia1l.y intended for the 
purpose, and thereafter shall immediately issue a Certificate to that effect. No other document, 
paper or instrument shall be required to be submitted other than such list and written authority: 
Provided, That the Philippines Statistics Office shall not register any church minister, priest, rabbi 
or imam who has been convicted by final judgment of any crime or violation of this Act. 
SEC. 5. Penal Provision. — No church minister, priest, rabbi or imam shall be allowed to 
solemnize any marriage in the Philippines unless he has been issued a valid and effective written 
authority to solemnize marriage  by the church or religious sect to which he belongs and that his 
name is registered by such church or religious sect with the Philippines Statistics Office: Provided, 
That failure to so register with the Philippines Statistics Office shall not affect the validity of the 
marriage solemnized, without prejudice to the criminal liability of such minister, priest, rabbi or 
imam, and the person who failed to register such minister, priest, rabbi or imam with the said 
office. 
SEC. 6. — Any church minister, priest, rabbi or imam who shall solemnize any marriage 
without valid and effective written authority for the purpose issued by the church or religious 
sect to which he belongs, or with expired, withdrawn, cancelled, or suspended written authority, 
or without being registered with the Philippines Statistics Office as required under Sections 3 and 
4 hereof, shall, upon conviction, be penalized with imprisonment of not less than two (2) years 
nor more than six (6) years  and to pay a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) 
nor more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Phpl00,000.00), without  prejudice  to such 
sanction or sanctions as the church or religious sect to which such minister, priest, rabbi or imam 
belongs may impose. 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. — If for any reason any section or provision of this Act, or any 
portion thereof, or the application of such section or provision or portion thereof to any person, 
group of circumstances, is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions of this 
Act shall not be affected by such declaration and shall remain m force and effect. 


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SEC. 8. Amendatory Clause. — The pertinent provisions of Executive Order No. 209, Act 
No. 3815 and National Statistics Office Administrative Order No. I in so far as they are 
inconsistent herewith are hereby expressly amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - The provisions of other laws, decrees, executive orders and 
other issuances, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended 
or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,