A MEASURE approved by the Senate which mandates a lifetime validity of birth, death and marriage certificates would not affect the income of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Senate Bill 2450, which was passed on third and final reading on Monday, May 23, still awaits approval by President Rodrigo Duterte before this would become a law.
The proposed law seeks the permanent validity of the certificates of live birth, death, and marriage issued, signed, certified or authenticated by the PSA and the local civil registries, as well as the reports of birth, death, and marriage registered and issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts.
READ: Senate okays lifetime validity of death, birth, marriage certificates
Claire Coronado, PSA 7 spokesperson, said not covered by the bill is the certificate of no marriage (Cenomar), which expires every six months.
She clarified that PSA’s income won’t be affected by the proposed law, adding that clients will still need to get a new copy of their certificates of live birth, death and marriage from their office if they are required to submit or present the authenticated copy in their future transactions.
She said the PSA issues the authenticated or original copy of the certificates, and once the clients have run out of the original, they would still go to PSA to get one.
If the employer or agency accepts a photocopy of the certificate, there is no need for renewal, Coronado added, stressing that the birth, death or marriage certificates they issue have no expiration dates.
Most government agencies and other business establishments require their clients to submit original copies of birth, death and marriage certificates.
Coronado said if the bill is passed into law, it would address the long lines of people seen every day at PSA offices.
She added the PSA has not been known as an income-generating government agency, as its mandate is only to issue the certificates to those who may need it.
Senate President pro tempore Ralph Recto earlier said the Senate Bill 2450 aims to prevent private and public entities from asking for new, original copies of birth, death or marriage certificates from those doing some transactions.
This is as long as the document remains intact, readable, and still visibly contains the authenticity and security features.
“The only exception is if it can no longer be read, or like a pained heart, it is already crushed. If the security features are no longer readable and authenticity is degraded, a new one is in order,” said Recto.