HANDBOOK FOR SOLEMNIZING OFFICERS AND A DIRECTORY LAUNCHED

A Handbook for Solemnizing Officers in the Philippines and a Directory of Solemnizing Officers will be launched on October 10, 2007 at the Atrium, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, as one of the highlights of the 5^th National Convention of Solemnizing Officers.

The Handbook for Solemnizing Officers is based on Administrative No.1, Series of 2007 issued by the Office of the Civil Registrar General is an easy- to- comprehend reference for Solemnizing Officers and Local Civil Registrars anchored on Memoranda/Circulars issued by the Office of the Civil Registrar General, Department of Justice opinions and Philippine Supreme Court decisions.

It is highly recommended by the Honorable Carmelita N. Ericta, NSO Administrator and Civil Registrar General. This Handbook is authored by Dr. Salvador A. Aves and co-authored by Atty. Anecito E. Tiempo.

Meanwhile, a Directory of Solemnizing Officers in the Philippines, is a comprehensive and useful reference filled with information essential to all Solemnizing Officers, Civil Registrars and other registration agents. Written in response to the requests of participants during a National Convention of Solemnizing Officers, this Directory is an invaluable source of names of solemnizing officers by religious denominations and contains a listing of City and Municipal Civil Registrars in the Philippines as well as Central and Field Officials of the National Statistics Office.

Salient features of the Handbook are as follow:

• Legal Basis Governing Registration of Authority of Solemnizing Officers to Solemnize Marriage with OCRG
• An Illustrative Case on a Ministerial Duty on the Part of OCRG to Issue Authorization to Solemnize Marriages to Solemnizing Officers Pending Court Decision
• An Illustrative Case of a Member of a Judiciary Who Celebrated Marriage Without Marriage License and Outside of Court’s Jurisdiction
• Liability of Solemnizing Officer Who Signs Marriage Contract Before the Marriage License is Obtained.
• An Illustrative Case of a Solemnizing Officer Who Performed Marriage Ceremony Where One of the Contracting Parties was Under the Age of Consent.
• An Illustrative Case Concerning an Issue of Nullity of Marriage Due to Absence of a Valid Marriage License and the Lack of Authority to Solemnize Marriage of the Solemnizing Officer
• DOJ Opinion Re Coverage of Muslim Solemnizing Officers to Register Their Authority to Solemnize Marriage With OCRG.
• Tribal Leaders or Authorities and Traditional Socio Political Structures Certified by National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)
• Duty of the Solemnizing Officer as Required Under the Marriage Laws of the Philippines
• OCRG Memorandum to LCR’s on Nullity of Marriage Due to Absence of Valid Marriage License and Lack of Authority to Solemnize Marriage
• Can There Be a Valid Marriage Even Without a Marriage Ceremony?
• OCRG’S Memorandum Re Effects of Divorce Obtained Abroad By An Alien From His or Her Filipino Spouse.
• An Illustrative Case of a Petition For Annulment of Marriage Since the Solemnizing Officer Failed to Send Copy of the Marriage Contract to the Civil Registrar’s Office.
• An Illustrative Case Where Marriage Was Presumed Since Record Of Marriage Cannot Be Found At LCRO
• An Illustrative Case on the Liability of the Witness to Marriage Ceremony
• Is the Solemnizing Officer Liable if He Solemnizes the Marriage Even if An Impediment Exists?
• An Illustrative Case Re Petition For Nullity Of Marriage For Having No Marriage License Issued To Parties Prior To Celebration Of Marriage
• An Illustrative Case On The Validity Of Marriage In Articulo Mortis Even If One Party Dies Only After One Year
• Validity of Marriage Without Marriage License Among Muslims
• Marriage Without Marriage License Among Indigenous People (IP’s)
• An Illustrative Case On Failure Of The Parties To A Marriage To Sign The Marriage Contract
• OCRG’s Memorandum For LCR’s To Require Affidavit In Lieu of Certificate of Legal Capacity To Contract Marriage For American Citizens.
• An Illustrative Case Where Parish Priest’s Failure To Execute Affidavit that Marriage Was Celebrated In Articulo Mortis
• Effect if One Party is Not Asked During the Marriage Ceremony
• Constitutionality of Government Office on Determining Whether the Church, Sect, or Religion of the Applicant to Solemnize Marriage Operates in the Philippines is in Good Repute

• Contents of the Directory of Solemnizing Officers

• Directory Of Solemnizing Officers In The Philippines By Religious Denomination
• Names and Numbers of Religious Denominations in the Philippines Who were Issued CRASM As of January 2005.
• Directory Of City/Municipal Civil Registrars In The Philippines (As of March 30, 2007)
• Who Are Authorized to Solemnize Marriage?
• What are the Requirements for Registration?
• What Is Meant By Religion/Religious Sect Deemed Operating In The Philippines?
• When Is A Religion/Religious Sect In Good Repute?
• What Are The Grounds For Cancellation Of Certificate Of Authority To Solemnize Marriage (CRASM)?
• Registered Marriages by Region 2000-2003
• Number of Registered Marriages by Place (Region, Province, City/Municipality) and Month of Registration 2004-2007
• Daily Averages Of Marriages By Month Of Occurrence
• Remarriage Is More Common Among Men
• Distribution Of Marriages By Type Of Ceremony
• Intermarriages Of Filipinas With Foreign Nationals

About the Author

SALVADOR ADAZA AVES is a pioneer of the National Statistics field office and has had many years of experience in dealing with Civil Registration. Currently he is serving Regional Director of the National Statistics Office of Region 10, Cagayan de Oro City.

Since he anchors his management of work on a framework dictated by NSO’s mission with a clear specific vision which challenges ordinary people to attain extraordinary work, he had thought of convening the First Mindanao Convention of Solemnizing Officers in 1994 and the First National Convention of Solemnizing Officers in 1998. These two events helped to open a broader horizon which enabled him to see the multifaceted problems on civil registration.

He was a recipient of a KAPWA AWARD given by the National Statistics Office in recognition of his exemplary performance in civil registration in the year 1993. He was also conferred the title of DATU KAYAGAN in recognition of his effort of bringing civil registration of the indigenous tribe, specifically the Manobo-Mamanua tribe of Agusan del Norte.

He is a graduate of A.B., Ll.B. MBA and Ph.D. in Sociology and had been granted several trainings abroad. His rich experience in the government service enabled him to be awarded for nine (9) consecutive years as TOP Performer in the nationwide field competition.

He is married to Dr. Luvismin Sy- Aves with children Derrold Marl, Salvador Jr., Jerrald White, Jerrick Red and Iolani Mae.

NSO R-10 Tops CSC Public Service Delivery Audit

To gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance of government frontline services, the first line of contact with the citizenry, a mechanism was devised by the Civil Service Commission to systematically check and evaluate such services through the so-called Public Service Citizenry Audit (PASADA). Unlike other audits, the PASADA auditors were incognito as they observed and monitored the clients transacting business with the fourteen (14) national and city government offices sometimes in March and April 2007. The program operated on the strategy of posting a pool of volunteers called Public Service Monitors to check and test out public services. The idea was to stimulate and to emphatize with the experiences of the public, whether good or bad, as they transacted business with the government.

It is worthwhile mentioning that among the 14 government offices only the National Statistics Office, Region 10 got a VERY SATISFACTORY Rating in the PASADA audit which means that NSO R-10 was rated VERY SATISFACOTY in all the three (3) areas :

a. on frontline service providers:

immediately responds to clients’ request, gives correct and clear instructions, helpful, patient, sensitive to clients’ needs, assist clients on a first come, first serve basis and treats clients without discrimination.

b. on structure, systems and procedures

has enough number of service providers, efficient queuing system, publicly displayed/visible flowchart, requirements and procedures made clear/posted/ announced and procedures followed accordingly.

c. on physical working conditions

accessible to public, clean, well- ventilated and with clean comfort rooms.

No less than the CSC R-10 Asst. Regional Director,Atty. Christopher Lumbre together with Ms. Miriam Daaca and Ms. Luzviminda Rodriguez awarded the Certificate of Recognition to NSO Regional Office 10 on June 25, 2007 for its Very Satisfacoty Rating in the Public Servie Delivery Audit.Dr. Salvador A. Aves, NSO R-10 Regional Director, recveived the said award during the Monday Flag Ceremony. It was attended by NSO Provincial Statistics Officers, Regional and Misamis Oriental Staff and some NSO field men. CSC officials encouraged NSO R-10 to strive for the CSC Seal of Excellence in the next round of evaluation.