Presidential Decree No. 965 (PD 965) — A Decree Requiring Applicants for Marriage License to Receive Instructions on Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood.
WHEREAS, the Government has adopted a national population
program to achieve and maintain levels of population most conducive to the
national welfare;
WHEREAS, an essential element of the population program is
to inform and instruct the people on family planning and responsible parenthood;
and
WHEREAS, an effective mode of implementing the program would
be to require all applicants for marriage license to receive instructions and
information on family planning and responsible parenthood before they are issued
the marriage license, and to create the administrative machinery for giving such
instructions and information;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby
order and decree:
Office of Family Planning.
SECTION 1. Office of Family Planning.—There is
hereby created in every city and municipality an Office of Family Planning to be
headed by the city or municipal health officer. He shall be assisted by the city
or rural health nurse, members of the city or rural health unit, and such other
personnel from the different agencies of the government involved in the family
planning program, who shall perform family planning duties in addition to their
regular duties. Private entities or individuals duly accredited by the
Commission on Population engaged in family planning activities may also be
impressed into the service.
Duties of Family Planning Office.
SEC. 2. Duties of Family Planning Office.—The
Office of Family Planning shall give instructions and information on family and
responsible parenthood to applicants for marriage license and other interested
persons in the form of personal instruction and/or handbook, pamphlets or
brochures. Furthermore, such instructions and information shall be consistent
with the policies of the Commission on Population.
Certificate of Compliance.
SEC. 3. Certificate of Compliance.—Applicants for
marriage license shall, upon filing an application therefore, be obliged to
receive instructions and information on family planning and responsible
parenthood from the Family Planning Office. Such instructions and information
may be in the form of personal instruction or in the form of brochures,
pamphlets or handbooks. In Paces where there are no health officers, any person
duly accredited by the Commission on Population may give the instructions herein
provided.
No marriage license shall be issued by the Local Civil Registrar unless the
applicants present a certificate, issued at no cost to the applicants, by an
Office of Family Planning that they had received instructions and information on
family planning and responsible parenthood.
If, for any reason, the information or instructions shall not have been given
within the period required by for the issuance of a marriage license, a
certification to that effect shall be given to the Civil Registrar by the Office
of Family Planning and the former shall withhold the issuance of the marriage
license for a period of two weeks to enable the Family Planning Office to give
instructions and information and the applicants to receive the same. At the end
of such period, when no instructions shall have been given, the Civil Registrar
may issue the marriage license.
Assistance of National Office.
SEC. 4. Assistance of National Office.—Agencies of
the National Government charged with the implementation of the Family Planning
program shall render assistance to family planning offices herein created.
Penalties.
SEC. 5. Penalties.—Any member of the Office of
Family Planning who fails or refuses without just cause to give the instructions
and the certificate herein provided; any local Civil Registrar who issues the
marriage license without the requisite certificate from the Office of Family
Planning, or any person who obtains the certificate fraudulently, shall be
subject to appropriate administrative or criminal charges.
Rules and Regulation.
SEC. 6. Rules and Regulation.—The Commission on
Population shall issue rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this
Decree.
Reveal of Prior Law.
SEC. 7. Reveal of Prior Law.—All laws and
ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of this Decree are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.
Effectivity.
SEC. 8. Effectivity.—This Decree shall take effect
immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 20th day of July, in the year of Our Lord,
nineteen hundred and seventy-six.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the
Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) JACOBO C. CLAVE
Presidential Executive
Assistant.
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
