Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is seeking to overhaul the country's civil registration system to prevent foreign nationals from fraudulently acquiring Philippine citizenship, following the controversial case of former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping.

According to Philippines News Agency, the lawmaker has filed the proposed Philippine Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act, which aims to establish a modern and streamlined registration system to accurately determine an individual's identity for administrative and legal purposes. The proposed measure also increases penalties for forging civil registry documents, providing false information during registration, and aiding the production of fraudulent records.

Gatchalian highlighted data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which indicates that, as of November 2024, at least 1,627 suspicious birth certificates tied to foreign nationals have been flagged. Of these, 18 cases have been endorsed to the Office of the Solicitor General for cancellation. A recent court ruling found Guo to be 'undoubtedly Chinese,' reinforcing concerns over gaps in the country's identity verification systems.

The bill is part of a broader effort to protect national security and uphold the integrity of public service, Gatchalian stated. "We must ensure that only legitimate Filipinos have access to public office and government benefits," he emphasized.