Republic of the Philippines

1Cont. Ordinance No. 012, s. 2002Page 4 of 4

Republic of the Philippines

PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR

Municipality of Ragay

OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN

( (054) - 741-12-81Excerpts from the minutes of the regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan of Ragay, Camarines Sur held at the Municipal Session Hall on February 11, 2002.

Present:

Hon. Domingo S. CedoVice Mayor/Presiding Officer

Hon. Clarita SL. AlmarezSangguniang Bayan Member

Hon. Mateo M. Gonzales, Jr.-do-

Hon. Rafael B. Dela Roca-do-

Hon. Benjamin P. Ramos-do-

Hon. Armando P. Hernandez-do-

Hon. Eduardo G. Gaza-do-

Hon. Estrella O. Alcaide-do-

Hon. Romeo G. MayorSB Member/ABC President

Absent:

Hon. Trixie Ann C. ClementeSangguniang Bayan Member

Hon. Alberto G. VillaflorSB Member/SKF President

Introduced by Coun. Estrella O. Alcaide

ORDINANCE NO. 012, s. 2002AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ALL APPLICANTS FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE TO UNDERGO PRE-MARRIAGE COUNSELING, CREATING A PRE-MARRIAGE COUNSELING TEAM (PMC) AND DEFINING ITS ROLE AND FUNCTIONS, AND IMPOSING A MINIMAL PMC FEE AS PART OF THE MARRIAGE LICENSE FEE TO BE COLLECTED.

Be it ordained by the Sangguniang Bayan of Ragay, Province of Camarines Sur in its regular session assembled, that:

SECTION 1. Alternative Title. This ordinance shall likewise be known as "The Pre-Marriage Counseling Ordinance of Ragay".

SECTION 2. Legal Basis. The following laws, rules and regulations, decrees, and issuances are the legal basis of the enactment of this ordinance:

a).Presidential Decree No. 956 otherwise known as the Pre-Marriage Counseling Program dated July 20, 1976 required all applicants for marriage license to receive instructions on family planning and responsible parenthood;

b).Executive Order No. 209 otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines dated July 06, 1988 designated the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide marriage counseling to applicants for marriage license under twenty five (25) years old who need parental consent or advice;

c).Republic Act No. 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of the Philippines devolved the functions of national agencies and workers to the local government units including the family planning program and the counseling program of the DSWD;

d).Joint Memorandum Circular No. 02 dated May 28, 1998 issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Population provides the Pre-Marriage Counseling Implementing Guidelines.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this ordinance shall mean:

a).Pre-Marriage Counseling or PMC is a one-day orientation program for couples applying marriage license. It is designed to provide pre-marriage couples with a realistic view of marriage, to create awareness and appreciation of corresponding roles and responsibilities thus enabling them to better handle situations involving issues and concerns that confront newly married couples.

b).Applicant - shall mean the pre-marriage couples.

SECTION 4. Requirements. All applicants for marriage license shall be required to undergo first a Pre-Marriage Counseling before their marriage. They should undergo PMC sessions for a total of eight (8) hours. PMC sessions should be conducted by at least three (3) trained counselors/facilitators from the PMC Team.

SECTION 5. Organization of the Pre-Marriage Counseling (PMC) Team. The Pre-Marriage Counseling Team shall be composed of the following:

a).a representative coming from the Rural Health Unit;

b).a representative coming from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office;

c).one from the Municipal Agriculture Office;

d).one from the Local Department of Education (DepEd) preferably a guidance counselor in a local school; and

e).one from the Non-Government Organization (NGO's) or Religious Sector/groups. Religious groups are enjoined to enrich the team by providing spiritual dimension to the counseling process.

The Local Chief Executive shall organize the Pre-Marriage Counseling Team and designate a team leader from among the members.

SECTION 6. Eligibility Requirements. To ensure a better quality of service, members of the PMC team should be;

a).Trained in PMC training of Counselors, and

b).at least one member is a DSWD accredited marriage counselor for couples under twenty five (25) years old.

SECTION 7. Role and Functions. The PMC team is tasked to discharge the following functions:

1.Install/operationalize mechanism for retrieval of applicants names from the Office of the Local Civil Registrar (OCLR);

2.Strengthen the referral system from the OLCR to the PMC Team;

3.Prepare the operational budget and allocate resources;

4.Issue PMC certificates to successful couples;

5.Conduct of PMC Sessions by way of:

a).Identify lead facilitator for PMC session. This may be rotated among the members;

b).Post schedule of PMC sessions in the Office of the LCR, MSWD office or other conspicuous places in the municipal hall;

c).disseminate information on PMC through radio, community assemblies, barangay meetings, etc.;

d).ensure that the training area is convenient, conducive to learning and sharing, private and promotes confidentiality;

e).prepare needed supplies/materials for the sessions;

f).allow no more than a maximum of fifteen (15) couples for each PMC session.

SECTION 8. PMC Service Protocol. The following procedures shall be followed by the applicant;

1.Couples shall apply for marriage license at the Office of the Local Civil Registrar;

2.Pay the necessary fees at the Office of the Municipal Treasurer;

3.OLCR forwards referral to PMC Team;

4.Couples to personally register for PMC, accomplish the Marriage Expectations Inventory (MEI) to help the PMC Team assess the needs, approach and focus of the counseling sessions for the applicants;

5.Applicants are required to attend all sessions on time, without exceptions;

6.PMC Team issue PMC certificates to couples who have completed the prescribed eight (8) hours counseling session. PMC session maybe conducted as a one day activity, or divided into two four (4) hour sessions for two (2) days, as maybe decided by the PMC Team;

7.Couples are referred back to the OLCR.

SECTION 9. Imposition of a fee. A minimal amount of One Hundred Pesos (P100.00) shall be collected from applicants/couple as PMC fee to cover the operations cost or expenses during the conduct of Pre-Marriage Counseling. For purpose of this section, paragraph (b), Section 89, Article II, Chapter 4 of Municipal Ordinance No. 016, series of 1999, known as the Municipal Tax Code of Ragay, is hereby amended, by changing the phrase, "6. Family planning/counseling fee - 20.00" to be read as follows:

Section 89. Imposition of Fees.

(b)Marriage Fees:

6. Pre-Marriage Counseling (PMC) Fee - P100.00

SECTION 10. Penal Provision. Any person who violates any provision of this Ordinance upon conviction shall suffer the penalty of fine ranging from not less than Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) to not more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P2,500.00) or imprisonment of not less than five days but nor more than one month, and/or both, upon the discretion of the court..

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. All ordinances, resolutions, orders, rules and regulations or part thereof inconsistent with any provision of this ordinance are hereby repealed, amended, and/or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All resolutions, ordinances and executive issuances, or provisions thereof, which are inconsistent with any of the provisions hereof are hereby accordingly repealed, amended and/or modified.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval and after publication in a newspaper of local circulation.

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED: By order of the Sangguniang Bayan of Ragay, Camarines Sur this 11th day of February, 2002.

I HEREBY CERTIFY to the correctness of the above-mentioned Ordinance otherwise known as "The Pre-Marriage Counseling Ordinance of Ragay"

(Sgd.)MANUEL C. COMOTA

Sangguniang Bayan Secretary

Attested:

(Sgd.)DOMINGO S. CEDO

Vice Mayor/Presiding Officer

(Sgd.) Hon. CLARITA SL. ALMAREZ(Sgd.)Hon. MATEO M. GONZALES, JR.

S.B. MemberS.B. Member

(Sgd.)Hon. RAFAEL B. DELA ROCA(Sgd.)Hon. BENJAMIN P. RAMOS

S.B. MemberS.B. Member

(Sgd.)Hon. ARMANDO P. HERNANDEZ(Sgd.)Hon. EDUARDO G. GAZA

S.B. MemberS.B. Member

(Sgd.)Hon. ESTRELLA O. ALCAIDE(Sgd.)Hon. ROMEO G. MAYOR

S.B. MemberSB Member/ABC President

Approved:

(Sgd.)Hon. RENATO E. AQUINO, M.D.Date Approved: February 18, 2002

Municipal Mayor