Comprehensive and Responsive Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) JUL 14 P3:47 SENATE RECEIVED B S.B. No.. INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE CIVIL REGISTRATION AND VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE A 2014 case study of the Philippines' current Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVS) revealed that there are approximately 7.5 million Filipinos whose births are still not registered. The majority of those unregistered belong to some of the most vulnerable sectors of our society, namely: Indigenous and Muslim population groups.1 The lack of a formal civil registration of a person endangers their safety, nationality, and citizenship. As of May 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that there are approximately 3.7 million Filipinos with no birth certificates- with 40 percent of those being children. Civil registration documents, such as a child's birth certificate, establish a person's legal identity and therefore becomes a vital source of information for the country's legislators, policy makers, and implementing agencies. Civil registration documents and vital statistics provide a picture of the country that will be used to rationalize, create, implement, and direct government efforts to Improve the well- being of Filipinos. As such, the existence of a highly-developed CRVS is an important national resource and therefore invaluable in facilitating public delivery service among citizens. The importance of CVRS cannot be understated: the lack of official documents of a child means that their existence is not recognized by the State and could be the reason to be denied access from essential public services like health, education, and social services. To protect children from these circumstances. Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that: "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." 1 https://www.getinthepicture.org/sites/default/files/resources/phl_crvs_case_study_2014.pdf

This proposed measure addresses the current gaps in our CRVS and seeks to establish a comprehensive and responsive CRVS. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. a buttineros darapiel RISA HONTIVEROS Senator

S'i Pins of te TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session JUL 14 P3:47 SENATE RECEIVED BY S.B. No. - INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE CIVIL REGISTRATION AND VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEM, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive and

2 Responsive Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote and maintain an

4 efficient, responsive, inclusive, and accessible civil registration and vital statistics 5 system. Towards this end, standardization and modernization of registration 6 procedures is necessary to establish the identity of an individual for administrative and 7 legal purposes. Moreover, efficient and simplified procedures in recording vital events 8 must be applied in civil registration in order to establish the most precise identity of 9 an individual for the benefit of the general public. The State declares the registration of all births, deaths, and marriages without discrimination as a national State policy. The state seeks to harmonize this policy with national frameworks on civil registration on the principle of Inclusivity, accessibility, and cultural-sensitivity, covering the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (PD 1083), recognizing children born to parents below the marrying age and out of wedlock (RA 9858) and allowing illegitimate children to use the surname of their father (RA 9255). The national state policy envisions to build an efficient civil registry system, comprising the rectification of errors

1 in terms of name, birthdate, sex without the need of judicial order (RA 1072), ease in 2 declaring a child legally-available for adoption (RA 9523) and registering children in 3 cases of rectified birth simulation (RA 11222). The State concedes through the 4 Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 in promoting the welfare and rights of 5 children, by reducing their vulnerability. In the Implementation of the policy stated above, the State, in enacting this 7 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act, institutionalizes and hereby maintains a legal 8 framework related to the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), ensuring a 9 system that provides equal access that is affordable, available, and that provides 10 protection of the rights of all citizens, especially children. Such system is also ensuring the gathering of statistics and easier retrieval and recording of statistics. The enactment of this policy, reaffirms the commitment of the State to the International standards and recommendations, according to the principles of the universal human right to be recognized as a person before the law (UDHR Art. VI), to children's right to nationality, registration after birth (UN CRC Art. VII), the right to identity (UN CRC Art. VIII), the right to be protected from discrimination based on race, sex, color, language, religion, national or social origins (ICCPR Art. XXIV), the right to nationality of persons with disabilities (CRPD Art. XVIII), the right of adolescents to birth registration (UNCRC GC 20, Art. VIII), the right of children In street situations to be proactively supported to obtain legal identity documents and the right of all children at all ages to free, accessible, simple and expeditious birth registration (UN CRC GC 21, Art. XV), the right of all Filipino migrant workers to be recognized as a person of the law (ICMW, Art. XXIV) on CRVS, and to steadfastly adhere to the Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children (=RPA-EVAC) in the ASEAN region. The State shall endeavor to facilitate the realization of the people's rights and support good governance, health, and development through the universal and responsive CRVS system. In this light, the State shall work towards reaching the following goals from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration of Civil Registration in Southeast Asia: Goal 1: Universal civil registration of all births, deaths, marriages, and other vital events based on accurate data;

Goal 2. Entitlement of all individuals to legal documentation of civil registration of their births, deaths, marriages, and other vital events, as necessary, to claim identity, civil status, and ensuing rights; Goal 3: Production and dissemination of accurate, complete, and timely vital statistics (including the cause of death are produced based on registration records. Goal 4: Free, accessible, simple, and free expeditious birth registration is provided to all children at all ages. Goal 5; The civil registration documents are used as main tools for child protection in relation to education, health, and other social services, justice, inheritance, and family reunification

Sec. 3. Coverage. - This law 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 all 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; c) 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) e) 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; g) 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); 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 VI, 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; 0) 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; r) 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 t) Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) - refers to the central statistics authority of the Republic of the Philippines headed by the National Statistician.

Sec. 5. The Civil Registry System. - The Civil Registry System is composed of

the Civil Registrar General (CRG), the City/Municipal Civil Registrar and the Barangay

1 Civil Registration System. The Civil Registry System issues registry Instruments, recommends and executes policies related to the civil registration of vital events, from 3 the national and local civil registry structures of the State.

Sec. 6. Duties and Function of the Civii Registrar General (CRG). - The Office

of the Civil Registrar General shall have the following duties and functions: (a) Policy-making Functions. (1) The CRG has the following policy-making functions and responsibilities on the Civil Registry System. (2) 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 (3) Issue circulars and memoranda pertaining to civil registration enhancements as part of the functions of the OCRG; (b) Provision of Technical Support to Local Civil Registry Offices. (1) Provide exercise technical supervision over the City/Municipal Civil Registrar (C/MCRs) and other Local Civil Registry Officers; and (2) provide ways and means to assist Civil Registrars for the reconstruction of Local Archives as the need arises. (c) National Civil Registry Depository. (1) Act as the national central depository of all civil registry documents submitted to the OCRG for archiving from all civil registry offices of the Philippines, for back up database and statistical analysis purposes only.

Sec. 7. Duties of the City/Municipal Civil Registrar. - The appointment of

C/MCRs shall be mandatory for city and municipal governments. The C/MCR shall be have the following duties and functions: (a) Primary Authority in Local Civil Registration. The C/MCR is 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: (1) Administer oaths, free of charge, for civil registry purposes, (2) 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 (3) 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: (1) Make civil registry forms available at all times in the civil registry office; (2) File registrable certificates and documents presented to him or her for entry; (3) Issue certified transcripts or copies of any certificate or document registered, upon payment of the prescribed fees; (4) 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 of a 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 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 Functions. The C/MCR shall develop plans and strategies and upon approve thereof by the mayor, implement the same, particularly those which pertains to civil registry programs and projects. (e) Provide Civil Reg stry 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, in particular the Barangay Civil Registration System; (f) 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. a. Structure and Composition. The Barangay Civil Registration System is 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 ExOfficio Barangay Civil Registration Officer (BCRO) and other deputized barangay officials as Barangay Civil Registration Assistant (BCRA). The BRCA shall assist in the registration o' all vital events of every individual within the area of jurisdiction to the Local Civil Registrar's Office.

b. Mandatory Continuing Education and Training Program for the BCRS. Pursuant to Sec 13. of this policy, members of the Barangay Civil Registration System are required to have regular, updated, culturally sensitive education system. c. Relationship to National and Local Civil Registry Systems. i. The Civil Registrar General (CRG) shall adopt a method in order to establish a systematic procedure of recording in the barangay level enabling civil registration procedure a universal right of every Filipino. ii. The Local Civil Registrar's Office shall engage the barangays to support in the implementation of the law, including the provision of fiscal and budgetary support. iii. Proper networking and interconnectedness between the Local Civil Registrar's Office and the barangay shall be ensured In order to attain mandatory civil registration of all born Filipinos. The PSA, LGUs, a national professional organization of local civil registrars duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other accredited government or private institutions shall conduct regular trainings and capacity building programs to upgrade the knowledge and skills in civil registration functions of all partners in the Barangay.

Sec. 9. Culturally-Sensitive Registration System - In collaboration with 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 establish 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 32 PSA.

The IPCRS shall take into account the various ethnic affiliations of the IPs in 2 the country. For this purpose, the PSA Administrator, acting as the Civil Registrar 3 General, instead of Issuing separate forms for the IPCRS, shall cause the amendment 4 of the existing civil registry forms, for uniformity of all civil registry documents to 5 ensure acceptability by end-user agencies or institutions of the facts and information 6 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 9 any of the parents or tribal leader or elder shall 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). 13 - Muslim Filipinos, ICCs 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 PD 1083, EO 157, 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) CNSP - Civil registration of Children in Need of Special Protection 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 as

mandated by law, and preserve the following books in their offices: a) Register of births - the records of birth In the civil registiy; b) Register of births of person 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;

e) Register of Court Decrees or Orders - the records of court decree or order concerning the status of a person In the civil register; f) Register of Legal Instruments - the records of legal instruments executed affecting the vital events of a person in the civil register; g) Register of Applications for Marriage License - the records of application of marriage license in the civil register; h) Register of Conversion to Islam - the records of conversion to Islam religion of a person in the civil register; i) Register of Muslim Filipino Marriages - the records of marriage of a Muslim Filipino in the civil register; j) Register of Muslim Filipino Divorces - the records of divorce of a Muslim Filipino In the civil register; k) 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 Events: 1. Birth; 2. Death; 3. Application for Marriage License; 4. Marriage; 5. Court Orders or Decrees; and 6. Legal Instruments; The Registrable Orders or Decrees of Courts and other competent authorities are the following: 1. Adoption; 2. Rescission of Adoption; 3. Annulment of Marriage; 4. Declaration of Nullity of Marriage; 5. Declaration of Presumptive Death; 6. Compulsory Recognition of Illegitimate Child;

7. Voluntary Recognition of Minor Illegitimate Child; 8. Appointment of Guardian; 9. Termination of Guardianship; 10. Judicial Determination of Filiation; 11. Naturalization-All forms of naturalization; 12. Cancellation of Naturalization; 13. Judicial Determination of the Fact of Reappearance, If Disputed; 14. Separation of Property; 15. Revival of Former Property Regime; 16. Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad; and 17. 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 marriage are hereby declared a national policy. Therefore, 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. For registration of registrable judicial and administrative issuances or orders, and legal instruments, a standard fee shall be collected.

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 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; e.) Name of mother; f.) 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/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, 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 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 34 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 2 unknown, or children committed to an orphanage or a child-caring institution with 3 unknown facts of birth and parentage, shall be registered by the finder or charitable 4 institution concerned within thirty (30) days from the date of finding or commitment 5 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 in partnership with LGUs shall provide mobile birth registration services especially in all Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) under 9 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 17 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.

Sec. 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 the LGU, shall conduct continuing education and 32 training program for Civil Registrars, Consul Generals, District Recorders, and Circuit

1 Registrars and their staff, in collaboration with relevant partners in government, 2 academe, industry, and nongovernmental 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

7 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, in accordance to the Data Privacy Act except upon request of the following: a) The concerned person herself/himself, or any person authorized by him; b) Spouse; c) Any 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; e) The nearest kin in case of a person's death; f) In accordance to section 12 of the Data Privacy Act of 2012, personal information shall be released meeting the following conditions (with the consent of the concerned person):

(i) Necessary for compliance with a legal obligation; (ii) The personal information is necessary in fulfillment of a contract; (iii) Necessary to protect vitally important interests of the data subjects, including life and death; (iv) Necessary in order to respond to national emergency, to comply with public order and safety; and (v) According to the purposes of legitimate interests by any third party/ies, unless these interests are overridden by fundamental rights and freedoms of the person involved.

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/PSA. 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/PSA 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; c) 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 2 shall be the surname used prior to his/her death. In case the deceased is a legally 3 married woman. Informants shall register the death using the surname she chose as 4 a legally married person. The registration of death shall be made within thirty (30) calendar days from 6 the time and date of death before the CIVIL REGISTRAR'S OFFICE at the place of 7 death, or the Philippine Consulate Office in the foreign country where the death 8 happened. In the absence of the city or municipal health officer or his authorized 10 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 or to the municipal secretary, who shall issue and sign the medical certification of the Certificate of Death for burial, cremation, and registration purposes. 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

2 for marriage license shall be filed by the contracting parties before the CR where one 3 of the parties resides. The CR shall enter all applications in the Register of Applications 4 for Marriage License strictly in the order of receipt of applications. The CR shall record in said register the names of the applicants, the date on which the marriage license 6 was issued, and such other data as may be necessary. No application shall be received by the CR unless supporting documents are 8 attached thereto and no application shall be posted unless it is received by the CR. Registration of the application shall only take place after the completion of the posting 10 period. All 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) In case of marriages solemnized while in transit: i. En route to, or 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) In cases 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.

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 LC R/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. All 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

2 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 8 the PSA. Such party shall report to the Court compliance with this requirement within 9 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. 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; c) Date of birth; d) Place of birth or where found; e) Name of mother; f) 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 required in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

Sec. 27. Registration of Persons without Known Parents. - All 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. 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 2 simulated birth record "cancelled" with an annotation of the issuance of a new rectified 3 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 5 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 7 Registrar shall record, register, and issue a new certificate of birth which shall not bear 8 any notation that it is a new or amended Issue, as stated In RA 11222, Sec. 12.

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 c) 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. 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. 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 the Simulated Birth Rectification Act: On Civil Registry Records for Rectified Simulated Birth, Article V, Sec 21, RA 11222. Upon receipt, the Local Civil Registrar shall stamp the simulated birth record, "cancelled", with annotations of the issuance of the rectified birth record. These 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, Article V, Sec 22, RA 11222. New Certificate of Live Birth shall be issued through the Local Civil Registrar for purposes of record, and registration, without bearing any notation that it is new or amended. 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.

1 It shall be annotated and recorded. The registration shall be annotated in the marriage 2 register as well as in the marriage certificate.

Sec. 30. Registration of Foreign Court Orders Decided Abroad. - All foreign

4 court orders involving status of persons residing In the Philippines shall be registered 5 before the CIVIL REGISTRAR'S OFFICE where the affected document is registered. 6 These foreign court orders, to be legal and binding in Philippine jurisdiction, must first 7 be recognized by the appropriate embassy of such country in here in the Philippines 8 or Regional Trial Court or which has the lawful jurisdiction over such case. The Supreme Court Order (Republic vs. Manalo (G. R. 221029, April 24 2018) on recognizing Foreign Divorce Obtained by a Filipino, consistent to Article 26(2) of the Family Code, granting the Filipino spouse the right to remarry shall be upheld by this policy.

Sec. 31. Registration of Legal Instruments. - As a general rule, ali 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 Admission

of Paternity. - It shall be the duty of parents or parent who executed the affidavit of 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

2 oath of allegiance to the Constitution and the Government of the Philippines, shall be 3 filed in the CIVIL REGISTRAR'S OFFICE of the place where the instrument was 4 executed: Provided, That if the Philippine citizenship is reacquired by naturalization, 5 the order of the court or any mandated (omnibus) authority granting citizenship shall 6 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 OFFICES, certifications or certified copies from these 10 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, Deaths, and Marriages. - There

shall be a compulsory reporting of all occurrences of Births, Deaths, and Marriages from all Barangays of the Philippines. As Barangay Registration Agents, all Barangay 23 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 assist the subsequent registration thereof. Continuing skills training relevant to Digital/Electronic Reporting of Births, Death 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 Civii Registry Database (NCRD) Software. -

2 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 4 NCRD implementation. Participation and assistance of international and local private 5 organizations having parallel objectives on the full development of digital civil registration may be sought in the development of this software. Among other features, 7 this software shall Include the highest degree of data security to ensure the integrity 8 of its database.

Sec. 38. Digitization of all Civil Registry Files. - All registered documents in the

10 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 the child, granted that simulation was made at the best interest of the child, shall be granted amnesty pursuant to the Simulated Birth Rectification Act, RA 11222.

Sec. 40. Digitization of Linkages and Interconnection of AH Participating

LCR/PSA. - All capable LCR/PSA shall be interconnected to facilitate retrieval, online certifications, and for local government revenue generation using LGU-linked MCRD 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. 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. 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

1 Imam, of any church, religion or sect, the regulations and practices whereof require 2 bans or publication previous to the solemnization of marriage that is subsequently 3 declared illegal, or any solemnizing officer in violation of this Act, shall be punished 4 with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not to exceed three (3) years, 5 a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) but not more than One 6 Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00), or both, and the revocation of the 7 authority to solemnize marriage, upon the discretion of the Court. The attending physician, midwife, nurse, birth attendant, hospital administrator 9 in charged to cause the registration of live births but knowingly fails or withholds the 10 delivery of copies of the certificate/s of live birth to the city or municipal civil registrar for registration, or any person who caused the failure of delivery, shall be penalized by Imprisonment of not more than six (6) months and a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00), or both, upon the discretion of the Court.

Sec. 42. 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 17 documents required In the Issuance of the said certificates.

Sec. 43. Use of Fees and Income Collected. - All fees that are remitted to the

19 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. 44. 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 record.

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.

The Local Government Units shall allocate a portion of its Internal Revenue 2 Allocation (IRA) in order to assist the City/Municipal Civil Registry and the staffing of 3 the Barangay Civil Registration System, in particular the Barangay Civil Registration Assistant (BRCA).

Sec. 46. Mandatory Review. - This Act shall undergo a mandatory review on

6 its provisions every five (5) years to make the law more responsive to the needs of 7 the times. The review shall be made by Congress, which shall conduct public hearings 8 and record relevant testimonies of functionaries in the civil registration system, which shall be the basis of any amendment or modification of this Act.

Sec. 47. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within sixty (60) days

11 from the effectivity of this Act, the PSA, shall promulgate the IRR for the effective 12 implementation of this Act. The PSA may consult with the Department of Foreign 13 Affairs, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice (DO)), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Commission of Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), the Office of the Supreme Court Administrator, the University of the Philippines Law Center, a national professional organization of local civil registrars duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Privacy Commission, the Department of Health, the Office of Solicitor General, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Child Rights Network (CRN), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the Bureau of Immigration (BIR), the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the National Council of Disability Affairs (NCDA), the Commission on Filipinos Overseas(CFO), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), related child caring agencies, international agencies, civil society organizations, related ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and such other agencies In the formulation of the IRR. Other relevant stakeholders may also be consulted in the crafting of the IRR.

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. Sec. 453, 454, and 479 of the RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of

1 1991 are also hereby repealed. All other laws, rules, regulations, orders, memoranda 2 or circulars inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed and modified accordingly.

Sec. 50. Retroactivity. - This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as it

does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights.

Sec. 51. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspapers of general circulation.

Sec. 52. Construction. -In the interpretation of this law, the best interest of

8 the child shall prevail. Approved,