Lifetime validity of birth, death and marriage papers ‘won’t affect’ PSA’s income

File photo

By : PHILIP A. CEROJANO, TITO P. TAN, SunStar Cebu

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.

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.

Palace institutionalizes acceptance of PhilID in all transactions

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

Malacañang has ordered the acceptance of the Philippine Identification (PhilID) or Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Number (PSN) as sufficient proof of identity and age in all government and private transactions.

File Photo of President Duterte giving the thumbs up after checking one of the printed national Identification cards following his submission in the registration process for the National Identification System administered by the Philippine Statistics Authority at the Malacañang Palace on January 21, 2021. (Malacañang photo)

Executive Order (EO) No. 162 was signed, by the authority of President Duterte, by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Feb. 14, 2022.

In issuing the EO, Duterte cited the urgent need to institutionalize the acceptance of the PhilID or PSN, as authenticated, as sufficient proof of identity and age in all government and private transactions, to improve efficiency in the delivery of social services, strengthen financial inclusion, and promote the ease of doing business.

 

PhilSys is the single national identification system for citizens and resident aliens of the country. Republic Act (RA) 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act provides that the PSN shall be honored and accepted in print, electronic, or any other authenticated form as sufficient proof of identity for transacting business with any government agency or private sector.

As per EO 162, the PhilID shall serve as the official government-issued identification document and official proof of identity of cardholders in dealing with all government and private sector identities.

Meanwhile, the PSN or an authenticated PSN Derivative of an individual shall be honored and accepted in transactions with the government and private sector entities, notwithstanding the non-presentation of the PhilID.

Duterte said in his EO that the presentation of the PhilID, PSN, or authenticated PSN Derivative, shall be sufficient proof of identification and of all other personal details stated therein, without the need for presentation of other identification documents.

The EO allows the PhilID, PSN, or PSN Derivative to be presented in lieu of a birth certificate for transactions that require individuals to establish their age, including but not limited to:

Applications for a marriage license

Applications for student driver’s permit or conductor’s license with the Land Transportation Office (LTO)

Enrollment of students in public and private schools or registration for the Philippine Educational Placement Test

Applications with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

Applications relative to voter’s registration with the Commission on Elections (Comelec)

With this, no additional proof of identity or age shall be required upon the presentation of the PhilID, PhilSys, or authenticated PSN Derivative.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall ensure that no cardholders or PSN holders shall be prejudiced if authentication cannot be performed through no fault on the part of the said persons. The EO also does not foreclose the recognition and acceptance of other government-issued IDs.

Government agencies are likewise tasked to amend their Citizen’s Charters to integrate the PhilSys Components and accommodate its features. The transacting public shall be informed of these amendments and private sector entities are enjoined to do the same.

On the other hand, banks and other financial institutions shall comply with the relevant issuances of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and other government regulatory agencies, and communicate to the public such policies and guidelines on the use of the PhilID, PSN, or PSN Derivative.