Most people think that a misspelled name in a birth certificate can be easily rectified by filing a Petition for Correction of Clerical Error, as stipulated in RA 9048. However, there are cases when misspelled names may only be corrected through a court proceeding and with the assistance of a lawyer.
Correcting vs. Changing
A typographical error, a misplaced or missing letter, or an error that causes the name to sound funny, unintelligible, and downright erroneous, can be corrected by filing a Petition for Correction. This is done at the Local Civil Registry office of the person’s birthplace.
If the error causes the name to change, but can still be considered as a valid name, it may not be counted a typo error. This means that you will have to seek the advice of a lawyer and the case may have to undergo a court proceeding in order for the name’s spelling to be corrected.
Example:
The child’s name is Lea but the name printed on her birth certificate is Lhea. Both spellings can be considered as ‘correct’ but since the child’s name is Lea and not Lhea, you will essentially be requesting for the name to be ‘changed’ instead of corrected. Changing a name in a birth certificate (whether first, middle, or last name) has to undergo court proceedings; the changes will be applied after the court has decided on the petition.
This is the reason why would-be parents need to carefully check the Certificate of Live Birth document that is usually accomplished by the hospital. Whatever is written there will be considered as true and correct by the LCR and will then reflect in the child’s birth certificate for the rest of his life. Correcting entries can be time-consuming and expensive; this can be avoided by diligently checking all entries in the document before submitting to the LCR and by making sure that the birth certificate owner uses the same information in his or her birth certificate in all of his IDs and transactions, for the rest of his life. Any discrepancy between the entries in the birth certificate and his IDs and other documents could cause delays and denials in his applications and transactions.
Who Shall File the Correction or Change (of first name’s spelling):
- Owner of the record
- Owner’s spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Siblings
- Grandparents
- Guardians
- Any other person duly authorized by law or by the owner of the document sought to be corrected;
- If the owner of the record is a minor or physically or mentally incapacitated, the petition may be filed by his spouse, or any of his children, parents, siblings, grandparents, guardians, or persons duly authorized by law.
Where to file the petition for correction:
If born in the Philippines:
- The petition shall be filed with the local civil registry office of the city or municipality where the birth is registered.
- When the petitioner had already migrated to another place within the Philippines and it would not be practical for such party to appear in person with the civil registrar of the place of birth, the petition may be filed with the civil registry office where he/she is currently residing.
If born abroad:
- The petitioner may file at the Philippine Consulate where the birth was reported.
Supporting Documents:
- Certified machine copy of the birth record containing the entry to be corrected;
- Not less than two (2) private or public documents upon which the correction shall be based like baptismal certificate, voters’ affidavit, employment record, GSIS/SSS record, medical record, business record, driver’s license, insurance, land titles, certificate of land transfer, bank passbook, NBI/police clearance, civil registry records of ascendants;
- Notice/Certificate of Posting;
- Payment of Php 1,000 as the filing fee. For petitions filed abroad, a fee of USD 50 or equivalent value in local currency shall be collected;
- Other documents which may be required by the concerned civil registrar.
We have a summary of solutions to the most common PSA birth certificate problems! Read our blog, Common PSA Birth Certificate Problems (and their solutions!).
Reference: www.psa.gov.ph
MasterCitizen's Blog 
Sir, maam. paano po kaya gagawin ko kasi wrong spelling po nasa birth certificate ko ‘Milanie’ po nakalagay pero sa mga pinanganakan ko po na ospital ung mga docs ‘Melanie’ naman po pati yung baptismal ko at yun na po talaga ginagamit ko eh, Pero ung kumuha na ako ng PSA ‘Milanie” parin akala po namin mispelled lang o typo ung nag type. Paano po kaya gagawin ko para mapabago? Ano ang kailangan at saan po kami una pupunta? Gaano po kaya katagal inaabot pag nilakad ito. Salamat po 😊
Pano po ang gagawin Kung wrong spelling ang middle name q..merinduque na dapat ay marinduque..??at Mali rin po name Ng nanay q sa birth certificate q at sa birth certificate nya..
Ipa-correct po muna ninyo ang name ng mother sa birth certificate niya kasi ito po ang magiging basis ng correct spelling ng pangalan niya sa birth certificate mo. Dalhin niyo sa LCR (munisipyo) kung saan siya naka rehistro at itanong ninyo kung pwedeng petition for correction of clerical error ang gawin sa case niya. Kung minsan kasi, kailangan dumaan sa court hearing ang correction of names lalo na kung ang mali ay ang middle name o apelido.
Sakin naman misspelled ung pangalan ☹️
PWede pong ipa correct sa LCR ang misspelled name. Mag file kayo ng petition for correction of clerical error. Para sa complete list of requirements at fees kung meron man, mag inquire po kayo sa LCR.
Paano po ung pag corrections dpat kasi mohammad ung name eh nagawang mOh’d lang
Pwede po kayong mag inquire sa LCR ng birthplace ng may ari ng birth certificate kung pwedeng Petition for Correction of Clerical Error ang gawin sa case na yan. First name po ba ang Mohammad?
Sir and ma’am,ask ko lang po,yong kapatid ko po kc,mali po ang spelling po ng apelido po nya,dapat po sana CANDOL,ang nakarehistro po ay CANDUL,paano kaya yon sir,ma’am,andito po kasi kami sa luzon,eh dun po sya nakarehistro sa probinsya po namin sa davao del norte
Mag inquire po kayo sa munisipyo ng davao del norte kung pwedeng petition for correction of clerical error since isang letter lang naman ang mali sa last name niya. Pero normally po kasi, dumadaan sa court hearing ang correction ng last name.
What f wala pong middle initial ? Ano pong dapat gawin ??
Blanko po ang middle name field sa birth certificate?
(Middle NAME po ang tawag dun, hindi middle initial. Initial po kapag isang letra lang tulad ng Evangeline L. Pascual –> yung L dyan ang tawag dyan initial kasi initial letter lang ang nakasulat. Pero ung nakasulat sa birth certificate natin, Middle NAME po ang tawag dun kasi buong apelido ng nanay natin ang isinusulat dun.)
So ano po ang problema? Wala kayong middle NAME sa birth certificate niyo?
Mag file kayo ng Supplemental Report sa munisipyo kung saan kayo naka rehistro at magdala kayo ng birth certificate ng mother niyo as basis for the correct middle name na dapat nakalagay sa birth certificate niyo.