It is the policy of the State to establish an effective system for providing copies of civil registry documents to all its citizens. The State likewise promotes efficiency and economy by removing duplicitous processes and requirements involving the issuance and use of those documents. Towards this end, the State shall enforce the permanent validity of the certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and its predecessor, the National Statistics Office (NSO), and the local civil registries, and the reports of birth, death, and marriage registered and issued by Philippine Foreign Service Posts and transmitted to the PSA.
This is the wisdom of proposed Senate Bill No. 2450 which was prepared jointly by the Committees on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; and Finance with Senators Francis N. Pangilinan, Ralph G. Recto, Win Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Sonny Angara as authors.
PERMANENT VALIDITY
Provided, that the document remains intact, readable, and still visibly contains the authenticity and security features: Provided, further, that this is without prejudice to an administrative or judicial correction that may be conducted pursuant to Republic Act No. 9858 entitled, “An Act Providing for the Legitimation of Children Born to Parents Below Marrying Age, Amending for the Purpose the Family Code of the Philippines, As Amended Republic Act No. 9048 entitled, “An Act Authorizing the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or the Consul General to Correct a Clerical or Typographical Error in an Entry and/or Change of First Name or Nickname in the Civil Register Without Need of a Judicial Order, Amending for this Purpose Articles 376 and 412 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 10172 entitled, “An Act Further Authorizing the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or the Consul General to Correct Clerical or Typographical Errors in the Day and Month in the Date of Birth or Sex of a Person Appearing in the Civil Register Without Need of a Judicial Order, Amending for this Purpose Republic Act Numbered Ninety Forty-Eight and Republic Act No. 9255 entitled, “An Act Allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surname of their Father, Amending for the Purpose Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the “Family Code of the Philippines”, or in accordance with other existing laws, rules and regulations, and judicial decrees: Provided, finally that the permanent validity of the Certificate of Marriage is applicable only in an instance where the marriage has not been judicially decreed annulled or declared void ab initio as provided for under the Family Code of the Philippines or any subsequent amendatory law on marriage. In cases when the texts on the certificate appear illegible, or an administrative correction or a judicial decree has been approved, the concerned person shall thus submit the new, amended, or updated certificate. This provision likewise applies to reports of birth, death, or marriage registered and issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts, and transmitted to the PSA.
Prohibition Against Requiring a New Copy of a Certificate
National government agencies and instrumentalities, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units, private companies, private and public educational institutions, and other non-government entities are prohibited from requiring the submission of another or newer copies of certificates of live birth, death, or marriage, and reports of birth, death or marriage when a valid certificate can already be presented.
Submission of Other Documents
The submission of a PSA-authenticated birth certificate shall be without prejudice to the submission of other supporting documents that the end-user agency, company or entity may use in determining the identity of applicants, particularly those classified as special cases such as dual citizens, persons with dissolved marriages, and those with late registered certificates of live birth.
PENALTIES
Any person who violates Section 5 of this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished with imprisonment of one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months or a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court. If the violation is committed by a public official or employee, an accessory penalty of temporary disqualification to hold public office shall likewise be imposed. If the violation is committed by a corporation, partnership, or association, the board of director, partner, trustee, official, or employee who directly or indirectly participated in the commission of the unlawful act provided under Sec. 5 hereof, shall be liable. A criminal liability as provided under Republic Act 9485, or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 shall be imposed on “fixers” defined under the law, as any individual, whether or not officially involved in the operation of a government office or agency, who has access to people working therein, and whether or not in collusion with them, facilitates the speedy completion of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration.