Changing Surname in Academic Records in the Philippines
(A Comprehensive Legal‑Practice Guide)

I. Why “academic records” matter

Definition. “Academic records” encompass all grade reports, transcripts of records (TOR), diplomas, certificates of graduation/completion, certificates of good moral character, school IDs, yearbook listings, and any database entries that identify a learner/student by name.
Legal weight. These documents are relied upon by government licensing bodies (PRC, CSC, IBP), employers (local and foreign), embassies, and courts to prove identity, civil status, and qualification. An un‑synchronized surname across records can ground:
- denial of licensure, visas, or employment;
- return‑to‑sender of professional board ratings (see PRC Res. No. 2019‑1146);
- possible falsification charges under Art. 172, Revised Penal Code (RPC).

II. The legal foundations of surname in the Philippines

Source	Key provisions relevant to surnames	Notes for schools
Civil Code (1950) Art. 364‑370	Rules on legitimate, legitimated, acknowledged, adopted, and married names	Still cited when Rule 103/108 petitions are filed
Family Code (1988) Arts. 63(2), 370, 372‑376	Married woman may: (a) keep maiden surname, (b) adopt husband’s, or (c) hyphenate	School registrar must accept any of the three once the student chooses
RA 9048 (2001) & RA 10172 (2012)	Administrative correction of first name, day/month of birth, sex	Not applicable to surname change—still needs court unless surname error is obvious clerical
Rule 103 & Rule 108, Rules of Court	Judicial change/correction of name and civil registry entries	The go‑to remedy for changing a surname (adoption, recognition, gender transition, etc.)
RA 11222 (Simulated Birth Rectification Act, 2019)	Once an Order of Adoption is issued, a new birth certificate with the adoptive surname is released	Schools must treat the new PSA record as controlling
RA 11995 (Domestic Administrative Adoption Act, 2024)	Allows administrative adoption; PSA issues amended birth record	Same registrar obligations as judicial adoption

III. Typical scenarios that trigger surname changes in school records

Scenario	Governing law/document	Proof required by registrar
Marriage (student, faculty‑scholar, or parent requesting child’s record)	Family Code; PSA Marriage Certificate	PSA marriage cert plus written election of preferred surname
Annulment/Divorce Abroad	Family Code Art. 63(2); Republic v. Kawak (G.R. 162273, 2006)	Court decree or recognition of foreign divorce; annotated PSA marriage/birth
Adoption	RA 8552 / RA 11222 / RA 11995	Order/Certificate of Adoption; new PSA birth cert
Legitimation	Arts. 178‑182 Civil Code; RA 9858	Annotated PSA birth cert indicating legitimation
Gender‑affirming judicial name change	Rule 103/108; Republic v. Cagandahan (G.R. 166676, 2008); Jeff v. Civil Registrar (2018)	Final court decision + amended PSA birth cert
Clerical/wrong spelling	RA 9048 (if obviously clerical)	Local Civil Registry Authority (LCR) approval; annotated PSA birth cert

IV. Core principle: Academic records must follow the Civil Registry

Registrar’s golden rule: The PSA‑issued birth record (or its judicially/amended successor) is king.
No PSA update, no school update. Even if a student already uses a new surname socially, the registrar cannot alter the diplomas/TOR unless the underlying civil registry is first corrected.
Exception – married women. Because marriage does not amend the birth certificate, a duly authenticated PSA marriage certificate suffices to support adding the husband’s surname or reverting to the maiden name.

V. Step‑by‑step procedures for various schooling levels

A. Basic Education (DepEd‑supervised)

File request at the school registrar (or principal if no registrar).
Submit documentary proofs (see table above) in original and photocopy.
DepEd Order 3‑2018 & DO 58‑2017 require:
- Form 137 (Permanent Record) and Form 138 (Report Card) be updated only after Division Office validation.
- Entries on the Learner Information System (LIS) must mirror the corrected name within five (5) working days of approval.
Update downstream documents: ESC/QVR certificates, ALS portfolio, and PEPT/NCAE test result accounts.

B. Higher Education (CHED‑supervised universities/colleges)

Petition letter to the Registrar stating the change, legal basis, and list of records to be re‑issued (TOR, diploma, certificate of grades, etc.).
Supporting documents:
- PSA record(s)
- Any court/LCR orders
- Affidavit of discrepancy (for transitional cases)
CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) 19‑2022 provides that:
- HEIs may charge a reasonable “reissuance fee” but cannot refuse to annotate or reprint TOR/diplomas once lawful proof is shown.
- Certified True Copies previously released remain valid, but a notation “Now known as ___ pursuant to ___” must be stamped when re‑certified.
Diploma re‑printing: Must bear the signatures of incumbents at the time of re‑printing, not retroactively of the original signatories (CMO 19‑2022, §6.4).

C. TESDA‑managed Technical‑Vocational Institutions (TVIs)

TESDA Circular 11‑2020 parallels CHED rules: present amended PSA + petition letter → registrar updates the T2MIS profile and issues a new NC/COC.

D. Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) downstream coordination

If the surname change happens after licensure exam results are released but before the professional ID is claimed:

Update TOR first.
Request Certification of Updated Academic Records from the school.
File PRC “Petition for Change of Name” with documentary support.

VI. Common documentary pitfalls & solutions

Pitfall	Consequence	Practical Tip
PSA birth cert still un‑annotated	School refuses change	File or finish the Rule 103/108 or LCR process first
Foreign decree of divorce not yet judicially recognized	Registrar rejects	File Petition for Recognition of Foreign Divorce in PH court
Affidavit only, no PSA proof	Registrar rejects	Affidavits are secondary; always attach PSA
Student wants dual surname formats on one diploma	Not allowed	Choose one format; request multiple certified copies if needed
Title already issued by CHED/PRC under old name	Mismatch	Have school issue a Linking Certification (“X was formerly known as …”) for submission to CHED/PRC

VII. Timeline & fees (ballpark, 2025)

Step	Typical processing time	Government fees (₱)	School fees (₱)*
LCR petition (RA 9048)	2–3 months	3,000 filing + 1,000 publication	—
Rule 103/108 court petition	4–9 months	4,000 filing + 8,000 publication + counsel	—
PSA release of annotated cert	1–2 months post‑order	365/copy	—
Registrar name update	5–10 working days	—	150‑500 per document (TOR, diploma)**

*Private schools set their own schedules; SUCs follow COA‑approved rates.
**Many SUCs waive fees for clerical‑error corrections within one (1) year of graduation.

VIII. Data‑privacy & anti‑fraud safeguards

Data Privacy Act 2012 (RA 10173): registrars must keep both the “old‑name” and “new‑name” records in secure, access‑controlled archives for ten (10) years after last enrollment.
Anti‑Falsification (RPC Art. 171‑172): willfully altering TOR/diploma without proper authority is a felony punishable by up to six (6) years.
Mandatory cross‑reporting: DepEd Order 47‑2021 & CHED CMO 19‑2022 oblige schools to report statistically significant surname corrections to the National Learner Registry/EMIS to prevent “diploma mills” from recycling canceled serial numbers.

IX. Frequently asked questions (2025 practitioner’s view)

I changed back to my maiden name after annulment. Do I need to reprint my college diploma?
Legally no—a separate Certificate of Name Reversion from your alma mater, plus the annotated PSA decree, is usually enough. But some foreign credential evaluators (e.g., WES‑Canada) insist on a re‑printed TOR, so plan ahead.
Can I request e‑copies only?
CHED now allows electronically signed, digitally verifiable TORs (see CMO 15‑2023). You may opt for a secure PDF bearing a QR hash of the amended surname.
Is publication still required for Rule 103/108?
Yes. The 2021 proposed Domestic Administrative Name Change Act has not yet passed. Until then, name‑change petitions must be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.
My diploma was lost; can I skip to a new one with the new surname?
You still need a notarized affidavit of loss plus the surname‑change proofs. The re‑issued diploma will carry an “This is a re‑issuance” notation.

X. Practical checklist for students & alumni

Secure the legal basis
□ PSA‑authenticated amended birth certificate
□ Court/LCR order, if applicable
□ PSA marriage certificate (if adding/removing spouse’s surname)
Prepare school documents
□ Petition letter to registrar (include student number, course, year graduated)
□ Valid government ID showing the new surname
□ Old school IDs/diploma (if still available)
File & follow up
□ Obtain claim stub or reference number
□ Check registrar’s portal/email within promised turnaround
□ Pay re‑issuance fees and claim updated records
Cascade changes
□ PRC, CSC, SEC, IBP, DFA–passport, GSIS/SSS, PhilHealth, bank, HR
□ Update digital profiles: LERIS (PRC), e‑GSIS, TESDA T2MIS, DepEd LIS (if teacher)

XI. Concluding insights

Changing one’s surname on school records in the Philippines is never purely an internal school affair; it rides on the stronger current of civil‑registry law. Registrars, alumni, and practicing lawyers must therefore treat the PSA‑record → school record pipeline as sacrosanct. While the advent of administrative adoption and impending reforms on judicial name changes promise faster relief, meticulous documentary sequencing remains the surest way to avoid mismatched identities—and the career, migration, or licensing headaches that follow.

(This article is current as of 17 April 2025 and reflects all statutes, circulars, and jurisprudence published in the Official Gazette or Supreme Court Reports Annotated up to Volume 907.)