Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11909)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11909 is the "Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act."
The main policy is to establish an effective system for providing copies of civil registry documents to all citizens, promoting efficiency and economy by removing duplicative processes and requirements involving the issuance and use of those documents, and enforcing the permanent validity of certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued by the PSA and related entities.
Certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), its predecessor the National Statistics Office (NSO), and the local civil registries, including reports of birth, death, and marriage issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts and transmitted to the PSA.
The document must remain intact, readable, and still visibly contain authenticity and security features. It is subject to administrative or judicial corrections pursuant to related laws.
Yes, the permanent validity of the Certificate of Marriage applies only if the marriage has not been judicially decreed annulled or declared void ab initio under the Family Code of the Philippines or any subsequent enactments.
Yes, individuals or their authorized representatives can secure copies or replacement copies of civil registry documents as often as necessary, subject to applicable fees prescribed by the PSA, local civil registries, or Philippine Foreign Service Posts.
The initial issuance, replacement due to loss or damage, and reissuance upon presentation of a Certificate of Indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are free of charge.
National government agencies and instrumentalities, government-owned and -controlled corporations, local government units, private companies, private and public educational institutions, and other nongovernment entities are prohibited from requiring newer copies when a valid certificate is presented.
Any person who violates Section 5 can 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. Public officials may face temporary disqualification from public office; corporate officers directly involved are also liable.
The PSA is tasked to develop a civil registry database and establish a virtual viewing facility in local civil registries and Philippine Foreign Service Posts within six months from the effectivity of the Act to verify the authenticity of certificates and reports, incorporating necessary safeguards for confidentiality and authorized access.
Yes, submission of the PSA-authenticated birth certificate is without prejudice to the submission of other supporting documents required by the end-user agency, especially for special cases like dual citizens, persons with dissolved marriages, and those with late registered certificates of live birth.
The Act took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.