THE House Committee on Population and Family Relations has approved a substitute bill updating the country’s civil registry system, a measure seen to address long-standing gaps in birth and death registration that affect millions of Filipinos.
The panel consolidated more than 29 measures, including House Bill No. 5213 principally authored by Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, along with TINGOG Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
The proposed Philippine Civil Registry Act seeks to amend Republic Act No. 3753, a 1930 law governing the registration of vital events such as births, marriages and deaths.
The substitute bill introduces reforms to streamline late and delayed registration, strengthen inter-agency data sharing and push the digitalization of civil registry processes, particularly to improve access in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
The measure is part of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s (LEDAC) priority agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
TINGOG Rep. Jude Acidre, vice chairperson of the committee, said the approval signals a step toward closing persistent gaps in civil registration.
“For many Filipinos, the challenge is not just access to services, but access to recognition,” Acidre said.
He noted that incomplete and delayed registration continues to limit access to education, healthcare and social protection, especially in underserved communities.
“This is where policy must meet lived experience. We are not just updating a law—we are correcting a system that, for too long, has left some Filipinos unseen and underserved,” he said.
Acidre stressed that a reliable civil registry system is key to improving governance and service delivery.
“Good policy begins with good data, and good data begins with complete and accurate registration. If we want the government to respond effectively, we must ensure that no Filipino is left behind—that every Filipino is counted and recognized,” he said.
The committee-approved measure will be submitted for a committee report and plenary deliberations.
