Manila: A House of Representatives panel has given its approval in principle to a bill aimed at speeding up the cancellation of birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals. The bill, which addresses concerns related to illegal drug operations and crimes associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), received the nod from the House Committee on Population and Family Relations during a recent hearing. According to Philippines News Agency, House Bill (HB) No. 11117, also known as the proposed Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law, focuses specifically on foreign nationals. The bill is authored by Quad Committee (quadcom) co-chair and Manila (6th District) Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who emphasized the need for a streamlined administrative process to tackle the issue of fraudulent birth certificates. Abante highlighted that such fraudulent documents allow foreigners to access opportunities meant for Filipino citizens and engage in illegal activities. Abante shared concer ns regarding the significant number of Chinese nationals obtaining Philippine passports through fraudulent means. 'In the quadcom, we've seen so many Chinese nationals obtaining [Philippine] passports, and the only way for them to have an official passport would be that they would have officially legal certificates, birth certificates. They weren't born here; they're from China,' he stated. He expressed hope for the bill's swift passage before the conclusion of the 19th Congress, underscoring its importance. The proposed measure would establish a Special Committee on Cancellation of Fraudulent Birth Certificates. This committee, chaired by the Philippine Statistics Authority Registrar General, would include members from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior and Local Government, and the Office of the Solicitor General. The committee's responsibilities would include investigating complaints, issuing subpoenas, and making decisions on cases related to fraudulent birth certificates within 30 day s based on evidence. Any legal-age citizen or law enforcement agency can file complaints, which must include specific evidence, such as the foreign national's name, details of the fraudulent birth certificate, and the circumstances of its acquisition. The foreign national would have 15 days to respond to the complaint, after which the committee would conduct hearings and make decisions based on substantial evidence. These decisions would be immediately executory but appealable to the Office of the President. The bill also proposes penalties for public officials and private individuals found to be facilitating fraudulent registrations.