Civil registry bill advances

A key House panel has approved a substitute measure aimed at modernizing the country’s civil registry system, addressing gaps in birth and death records that continue to affect millions of Filipinos.

The House Committee on Population and Family Relations consolidated over 29 proposals into a single bill, including House Bill No. 5213 authored by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, along with Tingog Party-list lawmakers Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre.

The proposed Philippine Civil Registry Act—part of the priority agenda of Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.—seeks to update Republic Act No. 3753, which governs the registration of vital events such as births, marriages, and deaths.

The measure introduces reforms to simplify late registrations, enhance data sharing among government agencies, and accelerate the digitalization of civil registry services—especially in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

Acidre, the panel’s vice chairperson, said the move is a significant step toward closing long-standing gaps in civil registration.

“For many Filipinos, the challenge is not just access to services, but access to recognition,” he said.

He noted that incomplete or delayed records continue to hinder access to education, healthcare, and social protection, particularly in underserved communities.

The bill will next be prepared for a committee report before heading to plenary deliberations.