Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Filipinas, Manila Registro Civil.

Record Description
Civil registration birth records cover 1898 to 1980.

Civil registration marriage records cover 1900 to 1991.

Civil registration death records cover 1899 to 1994.

Birth, Marriage, and Death records are in English for the most part. A few of the earlier marriage records are in Spanish. Spanish is also used in sections of later records.

In 1901, the Philippines passed a law that established local civil registry offices. These offices were to record the events of birth, marriage, and death. This collection contains marriage records and death records from the city of Manila in the Philippines. In 1945, changes in the law required more information to be recorded. The records are in English and Spanish.

The recording of civil events in a person's life, such as birth, marriage and death, require valid evidence, therefore making these records very reliable.

The recording of birth, marriage or death provides important information in a person's life, which become necessary for legal authorities and personal purposes.

After the Philippine Revolution of 1898, the church and state became separate. Within the first few years, officials responsible for civil registration were appointed in each municipality. In 1922 the Civil Records Centralization Act required “all municipal secretaries to submit quarterly reports on all registration matters to the Chief of the Division of Archives.”

For a list of records by event and date currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in this collection generally contains the following information:

Birth Records


 * Name of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Gender
 * Nationality and/or citizenship status
 * Religion
 * Legitimate or illegitimate
 * Name and place of birth of parents
 * Age of parents
 * Occupation of father
 * Number of children borne by mother including the present birth
 * Remarks
 * Name and residence of physician or midwife, if used.
 * Later records include exact address of parents.

Marriage Records or Marriage Contracts


 * Husband’s name
 * Wife’s name
 * Date and place of the marriage
 * Names of the husband’s parents
 * Names of the wife’s parents
 * Names of the witnesses
 * Names of the persons who gave consent
 * Name of the person who solemnized the marriage
 * Beginning in 1945, birthplace of the husband and wife
 * Date of the marriage license
 * Date of the certificate (marriage contract)

Death Records


 * Name of the deceased
 * Name of the surviving spouse
 * Date and place of death
 * The date and place of burial (cremation or removal)
 * Name of the informant
 * Name of the attending physician
 * Name of the undertaker
 * On death certificates after 1958, names of the father and mother
 * On death certificates after 1958, the birth date and birthplace of the deceased
 * Date of the certificate or the date the certificate was filed by the local civil registrar
 * Date of burial or transit permit

How to Use the Record
These registrations are the best source for locating the date and place of an ancestor’s marriage or death.

The marriage records may also include information about the ancestor’s parents.

You can use this information to help extend the lineage. Use place information to search for other records with genealogical content.

Beginning Your Search
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestors name
 * Approximate birth, marriage or death date
 * Place of event
 * Names of parents

Searching the Images
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Type" category ⇒Select the "Year" category ⇒Select the "Month &amp; Certificate Numbers" category which will take you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Other Information That You Should Know
Divorce is not legal in the Philippines, but some records of annulment and legal separation are kept in the National Census and Statistics Office and in the local Domestic Relations Court of First Instance.

Only the marriage contract is forwarded to the National Census and Statistics Office. The other three remain in the office of the local civil registrar, although the couple may be given a copy of their marriage certificate. The contract is the vital record and is of most value to the researcher. The other three records, though they have much of the same information, may provide other valuable clues to the discerning genealogist.

Late registrations (beyond 30 days after the fact) are recorded in red ink. If the registration is over six months late, additional documents testifying to the validity of the parentage and legitimacy of the child will be included with the birth certificate. The additional documents may be:


 * Photographs
 * Baptismal certificates
 * Local civil registrar reports
 * Third-person affidavits
 * Police investigation report

For more information, see Philippines Civil Registration- Vital Records.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Philippine Genealogy - Research your Family Tree
 * Alaminos City, Philippines website
 * Philippine Research

Related Wiki Articles

 * Philippines Civil Registration- Vital Records
 * Philippines Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Philippines Manila Civil Registration
 * Philippines Manila Civil Registrataion (Part 2)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Philippines, Manila Civil Registration, 1899-1994." digital images, FamilySearch (https//.familysearch.org: accessed 5 May 2011). Veronicio Garcia, April 11, 1914; citing Civil Registrations, 1914, April, #2563-2720, Image 2; Civil Registry Office, City Hall of Manila, Philippines.