Certificate of Good Moral Character (Philippines)

A Certificate of Good Moral Character in the Philippines supplies the facts and figures the authority requires so the matter can be processed, assessed or verified.

Unlike court clearances (NBI Clearance or Police Clearance) which are objective records-based certifications, a Certificate of Good Moral Character is a subjective attestation based on the certifying authority's personal knowledge of and relationship with the subject. Philippine schools — from elementary to university level — routinely issue Certificates of Good Moral Character to graduating students and transferees as part of the school records package, governed by DepEd Order No. 88 (2010) and CHED Memorandum Order No. 27 (2015) for higher education institutions.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) requires a Certificate of Good Moral Character as a mandatory requirement for all licconfirm examinations conducted under PRC Resolution No. 2013-774 (Series of 2013). Professions regulated by the PRC — including medicine (RA 2382), nursing (RA 9173), engineering (RA 544), architecture (RA 9266), accountancy (RA 9298), and education (RA 7836) — require the certificate at initial licconfirm application.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) requires a Certificate of Good Moral Character from the appropriate authority (school, employer, or barangay) as part of certain visa application and extension requirements, including student visa applications (9(f) visa under Commonwealth Act No. 613 as amended) and Special Resident Retiree Visa (SRRV) under BI Operations Order No. SBM-2014-033. Foreign embassies and consulates also commonly require a Philippine Good Moral Character certificate for visa applications.

The legal framework governing the Certificate of Good Moral Character (Philippines) in Philippines draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under Philippine law, the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386) governs contractual obligations. The Revised Corporation Code (Republic Act No. 11232) regulates corporate entities through the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) govern employment matters. The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) protect personal data. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) administers tax obligations under the National Internal Revenue Code. Parties executing a Certificate of Good Moral Character (Philippines) in Philippines should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Civil Code of the Philippines (RA 386) sets the foundational requirements.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character in the Philippines is needed whenever a formal attestation of personal character and conduct is required for professional, educational, immigration, or administrative purposes.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is required when a graduating high school student applies for admission to a college or university in the Philippines, as CHED Memorandum Order No. 27 (2015) and individual institutional requirements mandate the certificate as part of the application documents package for undergraduate admission.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is needed when applying for a Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) licconfirm examination — medicine, nursing, engineering, accountancy, education, law, architecture, and all other PRC-regulated professions under PRC Resolution No. 2013-774 require the certificate at application.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is required when applying for a government or civil service position under the Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules, particularly for positions in the Philippine National Police (PNP) under RA 6975, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is needed when a student applies for transfer to another school at the elementary, secondary, or tertiary level, as DepEd Order No. 88 (2010) requires the originating school to issue the certificate as part of the school record transfer documents.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is required when applying for a Philippine passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for first-time applicants below 18 years old, and when applying for student visas at foreign embassies including the US Embassy (F-1 visa application), Australian Embassy, and UK Embassy.

A Certificate of Good Moral Character is needed when applying for scholarships from CHED, DOST, LGUs, and private foundations, as scholarship programs require the certificate as evidence of the applicant's academic discipline and personal conduct.

A valid Certificate of Good Moral Character in the Philippines must include the following elements to be accepted by recipient agencies, schools, employers, and government offices.

Issuing Authority and Credentials: The full name and official title of the person issuing the certificate — school principal, college dean, barangay chairman, employer's HR manager, or religious leader. For school-issued certificates, the official school letterhead, the school's DepEd or CHED accreditation number, and the school's official seal are required to be printed on the document. Certificates without official letterhead and seal are generally not accepted by PRC or government agencies.

Subject's Full Name and Identification: The complete full legal name — first, middle, and last — of the person being certified. For school-issued certificates, the student's school ID number, year level or graduation year, and program of study must be included. For employer-issued certificates, the employee's position and period of employment are included.

Certification Statement: A specific statement attesting to the subject's good moral character based on the issuer's personal knowledge — affirming that the subject has demonstrated good conduct, uprightness of character, adherence to academic or professional norms, absence of disciplinary sanctions (for school certificates), and fitness for the stated purpose. The certificate must be clear about the basis of the attestation (student-school relationship, employment, community relationship).

Purpose of the Certificate: A statement of the intended purpose — PRC licconfirm examination application, university admission, visa application, employment, scholarship, or other stated purpose. PRC specifically requires the certificate to state it is being issued for PRC licconfirm examination purposes.

Date of Issuance and Validity: The exact date of issuance. PRC requires a certificate issued within 6 months of the licconfirm exam application; CHED for scholarship requires within 6 months; most agencies require within 6 months to 1 year. The issuer's signature and official seal must be on the original document.

Contact Information of Issuer: The issuer's official address, telephone or email address for verification purposes if required by the receiving agency.

Additional compliance elements for a Certificate of Good Moral Character (Philippines) used in Philippines include: Under Philippine law, the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386) governs contractual obligations. The Revised Corporation Code (Republic Act No. 11232) regulates corporate entities through the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) govern employment matters. The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) protect personal data. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) administers tax obligations under the National Internal Revenue Code. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Philippines-compliant documentation.