THE Senate on Monday, May 23, 2022, approved on final reading a bill seeking the lifetime validity of birth, death and marriage certificates issued and authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and its predecessor, the National Statistics Office (NSO).
With 21 affirmative votes, no negative vote and abstention, the Senate approved Senate Bill (SBN) 2450, an act providing for the permanent validity of the certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the PSA, NSO and the local civil registries, as well as the reports of birth, death, and marriage registered and issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts.
This is as long as the document remains intact, readable, and still visibly contains the authenticity and security features.
Senate committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation chairman Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. welcomed the passage of the bill.
“Mr. President (Senate President Vicente Sotto III), with this piece of legislation, we have clearly and categorically provided the permanent validity of the civil registry documents regardless of the date of issuance,” Revilla said in his manifestation during the plenary session.
“As such, they will be recognized and accepted in all government or private transactions. Through this, our people do not have to unnecessarily spend time and money in securing new copies of their documents,” he added.
In June 2021, the House of Representatives approved SBN 2450 counterpart, the House Bill 9175.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto sponsored the bill to the Senate. (SunStar Philippines)