Pagkorek ng spelling ng pangalan sa birth certificate ‘di na dadaan sa korte

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | July 17, 2024

Dear Chief Acosta,

Noong nakaraang linggo ay kumuha ng birth certificate ang aking pamangkin. Ngayong dumating ito, napag-alaman niya na mali pala ang spelling ng kanyang pangalan sa kanyang birth certificate. “May” ang nakasulat dito na first name niya kahit na “Mae” ang tama at talagang ginagamit niyang spelling simula noong pagkabata niya.  Kailangan pa ba niyang pumunta sa korte para maitama ito? -- Luisa

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Dear Luisa, 

Ang batas na ukol sa iyong suliranin ay ang Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9084, na inamyendahan ng Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10172, kung saan nakasaad ang mga sumusunod:

“SECTION 1. Authority to Correct Clerical or Typographical Error and Change of First Name or Nickname. – No entry in a civil register shall be changed or corrected without a judicial order, except for clerical or typographical errors and change of first name or nickname, the day and month in the date of birth or sex of a person where it is patently clear that there was a clerical or typographical error or mistake in the entry, which can be corrected or changed by the concerned city or municipal civil registrar or consul general in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations.

SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

xxx xxx

(3) ‘Clerical or typographical error’ refers to a mistake committed in the performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as misspelled name or misspelled place of birth, mistake in the entry of day and month in the date of birth or the sex of the person or the like, which is visible to the eyes or obvious to the understanding, and can be corrected or changed only by reference to other existing record or records: Provided, however, That no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, or status of the petitioner.”

Ang R.A. No. 9048, na inamyendahan ng R.A. No. 10172, ay nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa City o Municipal Registrar, o Consul General na magtama ng mga maling entry sa rehistro ng birth certificate o magpalit ng pangalan na hindi na kinakailangang dumaan sa korte. Sa iyong sitwasyon, dahil maituturing na clerical o typographical error ang pagkakamali sa pangalan ng iyong pamangkin, maaari niyang ipatama ang mali na ito sa kanyang birth certificate nang hindi na dumadaan sa korte.

Sinabi rin ng ating Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema sa pamamagitan ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguiao, sa kaso ng Bartolome vs. Republic of the Philippines (G.R. No. 243288 – August 28, 2019) na:

“RA 9048 now governs the change of first name. It vests the power and authority to entertain petitions for change of first name to the city or municipal civil registrar or consul general concerned. Under the law, therefore, jurisdiction over applications for change of first name is now primarily lodged with the aforementioned administrative officers. The intent and effect of the law is to exclude the change of first name from the coverage of Rules 103 (Change of Name) and 108 (Cancellation or Correction of Entries in the Civil Registry) of the Rules of Court, until and unless an administrative petition for change of name is first filed and subsequently denied. It likewise lays down the corresponding venue, form and procedure.  In sum, the remedy and the proceedings regulating change of first name are primarily administrative in nature, not judicial. x x x”

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.