The House of Representatives approved the proposal allowing married women to keep their maiden surnames on third and final reading on Wednesday, December 1.
During the plenary session, House Bill 10459 received 227 affirmative votes with no objection. The bill aims to alter Art. 370 of Republic Act 386, also known as the “New Civil Code of the Philippines.”
A married woman may employ the following powers under the law:
- Maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname;
- Maiden first name and her husband’s surname; or
- Husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”
- Maiden first name and surname
By allowing married women to keep their maiden surnames, this act strives to create equality between men and women before the law.
This protects married women’s right to keep their maiden surnames after marriage and gives married women options for surnames they can use after marriage.
The bill was co-authored by Reps. Luis N. Campos Jr., Arlene Brosas, Xavier Jesus Romualdo, Rufus Rodriguez, Lawrence Fortun, Tyrone Agabas, Joy Myra Tabunting, Gabriel Bordado Jr., and Cheryl Deloso-Montalla.
Source: https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/third_18/HBT10459.pdf
