Philippine Statistics Authority Benguet Provincial Statistical Office advices Solemnizing Officers (SOs) from any religion or religious sect assigned to a church within the province of Benguet including Baguio City to acquire or renew their Certificate of Registration of Authority to Solemnize Marriage (CRASM) License.

The Philippine Statistics Authority Benguet Provincial Statistical Office (PSA-Benguet) would like to remind all solemnizing officers from different religion and religious sects who are assigned within Baguio City and Benguet to apply or renew their Certificate of Registration Authority to Solemnize Marriage (CRASM) license. Under Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2007, PSA is tasked to implement the rules and regulations governing the procedures in the Registration of the Authority to Solemnize Marriage of Solemnizing Officers (SOs). The said administrative order enumerated the following persons to register their authority such as bishops, heads/founders of religions or religious sect, priests, imams, tribal heads/leaders/chieftains and other religious ministers or pastors. Consequently, under Executive Order No. 209 or the Family Code of the Philippines iterates those marriages under religion or religious ceremony requires the valid authority of the solemnizing officer to be registered with the Office of the Civil Registrar General (OCRG).

Timely renewal of CRASM licenses enables the solemnizing officer to have the authority to solemnize marriage for a period of 3 years in normal circumstances, the validity period may be less than 3-year validity period for resident aliens who wish to register their CRASM license. The said validity depends on the period they are allowed to stay here in the Philippines as stated in their Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or ACR I-card. CRASM licenses whose expiry date is on the last day of December of the expiring year are accepted for renewal starting on the first day of October of that expiring year. This is to prevents congestion of application for renewal on the last weeks of December and will also facilitate the issuance of CRASM licenses for SOs with scheduled solemnization on the first week of the incoming year. Regarding the SOs whose CRASM license expired on December 31, 2021, you are encouraged to file for CRASM license renewal at the earliest possible time and not 3 to 5 days prior to the solemnization.

Considering the current COVID 19 pandemic, SOs are advised wear their proper personal protective equipment when visiting the office and include the complete preparation of necessary documentary requirements. Solemnizing officers who cannot visit the office personally due to health or other issues can be represented on their behalf. For inquiries SOs can forward their communication to the office via the official email address psabenguet011@gmail.com or through the official landlines (074) 246-8104 or (074) 620-5516.

One documentary requirement that is thoroughly checked is the Endorsement/Recommendation Letter. Thus, to prevent feedback and return of the said requirement for compliance, the following information should be included:

 Proper addressee;
 full name of the applicant solemnizing officer;
 complete residential address;
 name and address of the church assignment; and
 the extent of his territorial jurisdiction.

The territorial jurisdiction is determined by the endorsing officer of the religion or religious sect as stated in the endorsement/recommendation letter. The head of religion or religious sect endorsement/recommendation shall emanate from the Board of Trustees/Directors. For regular member pastors/ministers their endorsement/recommendation shall emanate from the head of organization as indicated in their updated General Information Sheet (GIS). For sole corporate religion or religious sects, the head shall submit a sworn statement duly notarized, or if there is a set of officers such as church council or council of elders then the endorsement may also emanate from the said officers. Exemptions maybe accepted such as a member duly assigned as the endorsing officer for their member pastors/minister if it is specified in their By-laws. The tentative release date of CRASM licenses is within 3 to 5 working days, but may vary depending on the completeness of the requirements or if there is a need for field verification and lastly the presence of the authorized signatories.