Many cultures worldwide mourn the dead, often reminiscing one's life through personal anecdotes, stories, pictures, and more. However, living relatives often have to deal with the paperwork and expenses, from funeral services down to the paperwork.
One of the papers that bereaved families deal with is the death certificate. Acquiring a death certificate in the Philippines is done through the civil registry. Every living person is mandated to have a birth certificate and shall also be issued a certificate of death upon passing.
What is a death certificate?
A death certificate is a constitutional document with information about a dead person. It states a deceased person's name, date of birth, date of death, and cause of death, including underlying causes, confirmed by an attending physician or local health worker. It's one of the basic requirements when processing and settling a past loved one's documents, accounts, paperwork, insurance claims, and more.
Data about a population's mortality rate can also be determined with the help of the death certificate. The information gathered is kept secure, and no names are mentioned in the report. It's solely for the local census purposes and, in some cases, for scientific and health-related surveys and studies.
Who can get a death certificate for someone who died?
Family members, relatives, and officiating parties (local civil registrars in some cases) can obtain a person's official death certificate.
According to Philippine law, they are the only ones who can acquire copies of their relatives' death certificates. Local registries have put regulations to make sure that the certificate doesn't fall into the wrong hands.
The person/s acquiring the certificate undergoes an identity verification. They are required to show government IDs and proof that they are related or are a notarized representative of the relatives of the deceased.
Who completes the death certificate?
In most cases, death certificates are issued by the local civil registry, given that a local health officer or an attending physician signed upon the document. If the death occurred without both parties, it is the relative, next of kin, or nearest person's responsibility to report the passing within 48 hours.
Registration of Death in Special Situations
In extreme situations, another legally required party (municipal or local health officer, attending physician, etc.) can sign and complete the death certificate.
If a person dies while in transit within the Philippines, and the exact location of death can't be determined, the death certificate will be registered at the burial or cremation site. In this case, the Local Civil Registry Office and one of its attendants would be responsible for signing and completing the certificate.
When a Filipino citizen traveling to the Philippines dies aboard an airplane or vessel, their death will be registered in the municipality he was living in before his death. If he was not a resident of the country, the Civil Registrar of Manila would be responsible for recording his death.
If a Filipino dies while traveling to other countries, their death should be reported to the Philippine Foreign Service Establishments of his destination country.
When a person dies, and for any reason, the body cannot be retrieved, their death should be listed in the registry office of his last known address. The spouse, parent, legal guardian, or next of kin should prepare an affidavit stating the circumstances of his death. The death certificate should also contain the annotation "Body Not Recovered" signed by a health officer.
When can the relatives get the death certificates?
Most death certificates are forwarded to the local civil registry within 48 hours. But that doesn't mean that the relatives can get them as soon as two days. Depending on how the local process is and how fast the system works, the living may have to allocate at least a week or two before acquiring the certificate.
Why are death certificates important?
As per Presidential Decree No. 856 of 1975: no bodies should be buried or cremated without an official death certificate. However, there are exemptions for religious and special circumstances. Muslim Filipinos are exempted from this decree. According to Muslim law, the dead can be buried as soon as possible, even without a death certificate. But the person who performed the rites (or the nearest relative) should report the death within 48 hours after the burial.
Death certificates are just as necessary as birth certificates, marriage contracts, income tax returns, and more. It holds more power than most people think. When claiming insurances for the deceased, the asking party should produce a copy of the certificate along with other requirements. When settling accounts, death certificates are given to the officiating attendant, and so on.
How many death certificates do you need after someone dies?
The law mandates the local civil registry to release four copies of a death certificate. The first copy is for the registrant. The other two copies will be given to the Office of the Civil Registrar General and the attendant at death. The remaining copy will be used for filing.
However, private sectors and other parties may need more copies. It's up to the relatives to produce duplicates of the certificate. The number of duplicates needed is specific to the office you are dealing with, but a minimum of 10 may be sufficient for the various processes you will undergo after your loved one's passing.
The following are likely to require death certificates:
- Government benefits. For example, the death and burial benefits (maximum of Php 200,000) from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) require an original copy of the death certificate or a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) authenticated copy. A few more examples of institutions that require death certificates are the Social Security System and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
- Bank accounts. Banks freeze and deactivate the accounts of the deceased. Death certificates are one of the many documents needed to activate these accounts for the division of funds and assets.
- Property. A death certificate is needed to transfer the deceased's assets to one's name or to be able to sell them. Settling of the estate is permitted for up to a year. Beyond that, it would accumulate enormous taxes.
- Insurance. In the Philippines, claiming insurance can only be done in 90 days. The surviving family members should submit their claims within this time frame. Insurance companies require the original copies of death certificates for claims.
How much do death certificates cost?
According to PSA Serbilis online facility, death certificates cost PHP 330.00 per copy. The amount is for the processing fee and the delivery fee. If the requesting party obtains a copy through other channels, it may cost anywhere from PHP 155 to 180.
How do you get a death certificate?
The local civil registry is in charge of the distribution of death certificates. It can be obtained online, through PSA Serbilis, or by going to a Census Serbilis Center or SM Business Centers.
Getting the death certificate online through the PSA Serbilis platform:
Obtain the following information:
- Requester's name.
- Requester's delivery address (with zip code)
- Requester's telephone number
- Requester's valid email address
- Number of copies being requested
- Name of the deceased
- Sex of the deceased
- Place and date of death
- Purpose of applicant's request
Once the information has been retrieved, you may proceed with the following steps:
- Go to the PSA Serbilis website.
- Click "Step 1: Fill out the online application form."
- Click "Click here to request now"
- Click the "I Accept" button after reading the Terms and Conditions.
- Complete the contact and delivery information form, then click "Next"
- Review all information stated on the confirmation page and click "Confirm"
- Click "Death Certificate" once on the request page
- Click "Yes" or "No" buttons then "Next" when done
- Complete a death certificate request form then click "Save"
- Click "submit".
- A Batch Request Number and a Request Reference Number will be issued. If all requests will be paid by batch, use the Batch Request Number. If only a particular request will be paid, use the Request Reference Number.
- Pay for the certificate. Click "Step 2 – Pay through accredited payment channels". This page will have information on how one can pay for the certificate as well as the processing fees, delivery fees, and government taxes.
- Confirm payment and wait for the certificate to be delivered.
- You can check the status of your request through the same website.
Getting the death certificate via walk-in (Census Serbilis Centers)
- Locate the nearest Census Serbilis Center here.
- Bring your valid ID. If the applicant is not the spouse, parent, direct descendant, or legal guardian of the deceased, a letter of authorization should also be prepared.
- Fill up and submit a request form.
- Pay the certificate fee.
- Wait for the request to be processed. The main office of Census Serbilis Center can issue the certificate within the same day; other centers can take 2-3 days to process your request.
Getting the death certificate via walk-in (SM Business Centers)
- Fill up a death certificate form in black ink. These can be printed from home or requested at the counter.
- Get a payment form from the counter. Prepare the exact amount.
- Submit the necessary documents to the staff and pay about Php 180. Keep your official receipt.
- You will be notified of the release date so you can claim the death certificate at the center.
How long does it take to secure a death certificate?
Requests made at the local registry may take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, depending on the length of the queue. When utilizing PSA's Serbilis online facility, it may take up anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. On the other hand, SM Business Centers take up to 7 weeks to release a death certificate.
Sources
Department of Health. (2015). Code on Sanitation of the Philippines – Presidential Decree No. 856. In Medical Certification of Death (p. 19, p. 108). Department of Health. https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/MEDICAL_CERTIFICATION_OF_DEATH_0.pdf
Philippine Statistics Authority. (n.d.). Death Certificate. Requesting for a Civil Registry Document. https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/requesting-civil-registry-document/death-certificate
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2012, 09 17). Civil Registration Procedure. https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/civil-registration-procedure
Science Care. (2016, 12 13). What is a Death Certificate and why do you need one? What is a Death Certificate and why do you need one? https://www.sciencecare.com/blog/death-certificate-need-one
