An unpopulated field in your birth certificate is not a good thing; however, it also is not as alarming as an incorrect birth year, incorrect year of marriage, or worse, an incorrect last name. Just the same, if there are blanks in your birth certificate where a pertinent personal detail should be, you need to have it repaired right away. Any discrepancy in your birth certificate will soon become a reason for delays in your most important transactions (such as applying for a passport, opening a bank account, and enrolling in school).
One very important detail in your birth certificate is your gender. What’s odd is that it has become one of the most common errors encountered by people in their birth certificate — female babies are marked as male, while male babies are marked as female. Is it really that hard to determine the correct gender?
There’s another type of error in determining a child’s gender in his or her birth certificate, and that is when the gender field is left unmarked. Blank. Zilch. Someone was not invited to the gender reveal party and is now trying to get back at the baby’s parents. Hah.
How do you get the right gender marked correctly on your birth certificate? Read this.
A birth certificate where the gender field is left blank requires a Supplemental Report.
A Supplemental Report is filed at the Local Civil Registry office where the birth certificate was registered. This shall help supply the missing mark that will officially determine the birth certificate owner’s gender.
The Supplemental Report is the most affordable of all the different types of birth certificate correction processes. It is also the easiest to file and the fastest to complete. You can make up to two changes in your birth certificate through a supplemental report — provided that the changes are within the scope of a supplemental report.
Requirements needed when filing a Supplemental Report:
- PSA Birth Certificate with the missing mark on the gender field.
- Affidavit attesting to the missing entry and the reasons why the gender field was left unmarked.
- Two to three valid IDs or public documents that may be used as reference for the correct gender of the birth certificate owner. These may be:
- GSIS/SSS record
- Medical records
- Voter’s affidavit
- Employment record
- Business record
- School record
- Driver’s License
- Insurance policies
- Civil registry records of ascendants
- NBI Clearance
- Police Clearance
- A payment of approximately Php 1,000.
Submit all of the above at the LCR office where the birth certificate was registered. Additional documents may be required by the LCR, if needed. When paying for the fee, always demand an official receipt and avoid transacting with fixers who will offer to run the errand for you for a higher amount. Transact only with LCR staff and employees and pay the fees only at the city treasurer or cashier and always ask for your OR.
What other birth certificate issues would you like us to discuss? Drop your suggestions in the comments section 🙂 And as always, stay safe and healthy, folks!
Reference:
MasterCitizen's Blog 
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