Senators voted to pass the bill setting a permanent validity for certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued or duly certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), local civil registries, and Philippine foreign service posts.
Senate Bill No. 2450 or the Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act was approved on third and final reading on Monday, May 23.
Its counterpart bill in the House of Representatives was passed in June last year. Congresswoman Lucille Nava of Guimaras province is among the principal authors of House Bill (HB) 9175.
“This will ease the burden imposed to the Filipino people by removing unnecessary demands for the most recent copies of PSA documents and would eventually streamline our people’s transactions with the public and private sector,” said Nava.
Under SB 2450, the official douments will have permanent validity regardless of the date of issuance.
If these have become unreadable or has affected contents, the concerned person must submit a new, amended, or updated certificate.
Furthermore, the permanent validity of marriage certificates is applicable only when the marriage has not been judicially decreed annulled or declared void ab initio as provided by the Family Code of the Philippines.
The proposed bill imposes a punishment of one to six months imprisonment or a fine of not less than P5,000 but not more than P10,000, or both at the discretion of the court.
If government public officials or employees violated the measure, an accessory penalty of temporary disqualification to hold public office will be meted out on them.IMT
