Bill sets up legal framework for certifying religious groups
A BILL seeking to create a framework for the certification of Philippine religious groups as legitimate groups was filed at the House of Representatives last week.
House Bill (HB) No. 11477 seeks to mandate sects to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Philippine Statistics Agency, putting in place minimum validation requirements before being recognized by the government as a legitimate religious group.
“It is therefore proposed under this act that a system for the recognition and certification of religious organizations or groups be established in order to protect the public from unscrupulous individuals who prey on unsuspecting believers,” Party-list Rep. Ron P. Salo said in the measure, which was filed on March 6.
“The lack of regulation has led to the exploitation of religious institutions, where unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of people’s trust and generosity under the guise of religious leadership,” he said in a statement.
The Southeast Asian nation adheres to the principle of separation of church and state, which is enshrined in its 1987 Constitution. Religious groups are generally exempt from taxes in the Philippines.
“Long-established” religions exempt from the proposed law include the Roman Catholic Church, Islam, Seventh-Day Adventist, Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Iglesia ni Cristo, among others.
About 80% of the country are Catholic, followed by Muslims (6.4%) and home-grown church Iglesia ni Cristo (2.6%), according to 2020 government data.
“Churches, sects, religious groups, or organizations, in order to obtain legal personality for purposes of tax exemption, property transactions, and marriage solemnization authority, shall comply with the prescribed procedure for the registration of non-stock and non-profit organizations with the Securities and Exchange Commission,” the bill stated.
The bill mandates religious groups to have at least 12 legal-age members before being registered with the SEC, with each of them executing an affidavit containing when they became members. The religion should also provide a list of properties already owned and its by-laws. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
