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MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to tighten rules on delayed birth registration has been filed in the Senate.
The measure also imposes stiff penalties — including imprisonment and a fine of not less than P100,000 — against individuals who knowingly make false statements on their birth records.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Jinngoy Estrada filed Senate Bill No. 2703, otherwise known as the Delayed Registration of Birth Act, on Tuesday.
Estrada’s measure was presented following the question on Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo‘s identity, connections and her controversial birth record.
“The Delayed Registration of Birth Act seeks to institutionalize the requirements and procedures embodied in the Revised Guidelines for Delayed Registration of Birth by incorporating the same in Act No. 3753,” Estrada’s measure states.
“It also provides stricter penalties for those who will declare false statements in the birth certificate that will be registered late,” it adds.
“Through the measure, the procedure for the delayed registration of birth will be more effective and will ensure that the birth certificates are a genuine and truthful representation of the identity of the person,” it explains.
The bill also states that any person who shall knowingly provide false information on birth records shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than 12 years.
They will also be subjected to a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P250,000.
Apart from these penalties, the measure noted that public officials proven to have violated provisions of the Act should be dismissed from public service and shall perpetually be disqualified to hold public office.
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Under the bill, persons seeking to file delayed registration of birth are required to submit the following:
Four copies of Certificate of Live Birth
Accomplished Affidavit for Delayed Registration
Negative Certification of Birth Record from the Philippine Statistics Authority
Certificate of Marriage of the parents if the child is legitimate
Birth Certificate of parents
In case an individual is seeking late registration of birth of an illegitimate child, this person is likewise instructed to submit the following:
Sworn statement stating the present whereabouts of the mother
Affidavit of two disinterested persons who might have witnessed or known the birth of the child
Estrada’s bill stated that birth registered later than 30 days after its occurrence is considered delayed registration.