Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: My Father Changed His Name on his Marriage Certificate

Mildred is the eldest daughter of Mang Gerry and Aling Myrna.  She migrated to the U.S. and earned her citizenship when she married her fiancé who is a natural-born citizen of America.  Two years after she was sworn in, she petitioned for her parents to legally stay in the U.S. with her and her husband.

Part of the requirements she needs to submit were her parents’ birth and marriage certificates.  When she received the copies of the documents, she was surprised to find out that her father’s names on his birth and marriage certificates were different.

On his marriage certificate, his name is written as Gerardo Perez Gonzales.  On his birth certificate, his name is Geronimo Perez Gonzalez.  Mildred knew this will cause delays on her petition if not addressed right away.

She talked to her father about the discrepancies.  Why did he use a different name all his life?  Why did he not tell his wife who he really was?

Mang Gerry admitted that he was not even aware that his real name is Geronimo; his parents and siblings have always referred to him as Gerardo.  All his school records show his name as Gerardo and his last name as Gonzales, not Gonzalez.  In all of his employment records, he used the name Gerardo Gonzales.  He does not have any other record as Geronimo Gonzalez except for his PSA birth certificate.

The family decided to have the entries on Mang Gerry’s birth certificate corrected in order to agree with all his identification cards and personal documents, including the birth certificates of his children where his name is also written as Gerardo Gonzales.

On the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) website, www.psa.gov.ph Mang Gerry’s problems on his first and last names are covered by two scenarios:

1. First name used is different from the first name entered in the birth certificate.
2. Last name is misspelled.

For both cases, Mang Gerry may file for petitions under R.A. 9048.

To change his first name from Geronimo (written on his birth certificate) to Gerardo (the name he is using), he needs to file a Petition for Change of First Name.  To support his petition, he needs to submit the following documents:

1. Certified machine copy of the birth record containing the entry to be corrected;
2. Not less than two (2) private or public documents upon which the correction shall be based like baptismal certificate, voter’s affidavit, employment records, GSIS/SSS records, medical records, business records, driver’s license, insurance, land titles, certificate of land transfer, bank passbook.
3. Notice / Certificate of Posting;
4. Payment of P3,000 as filing fee.
5. Other documents which may be required by the concerned civil registrar such as:
   • NBI/Police Clearance
   • Civil registry records of ascendants and other clearances as may be required by the concerned civil registry office
   • Proof of Publication

To correct his last name, from Gonzalez to Gonzales, Mang Gerry may file a petition for correction of clerical error under the provisions of R.A. 9048.  For this petition, he needs to submit the following supporting documents:

1. Certified machine copy of the birth record containing the entry to be corrected;
2. Not less than two (2) private or public documents upon which the correction shall be based like baptismal certificate, voter’s 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.
3. Notice / Certificate of Posting
4. Payment of P1,000 as filing fee.
5. Other documents which may be required by the concerned civil registrar.

Source:

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/wrong-spelling-0

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/first-name-used-different-first-name-entered-birth

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: Middle Name on Birth Certificate is Not Spelled Out

A comedy of errors.  That’s how Geraldine would describe the root cause of the problem she had with her birth certificate.  And she did not realize this until after she graduated from college and is now working on her papers to take the board exams for nurses.

Her full name is Geraldine Tee Garduque.  The name written on her PSA birth certificate is Geraldine T. Garduque.

How do you repair this mistake?

According to the website of the Philippine Statistics Authority (www.psa.gov.ph), this error can be corrected by filing a petition for correction of clerical error under the provisions of R.A. 9048.  This is the act that authorizes the Local Civil Registry office to apply corrections on typographical errors on civil registry documents without the need for a court order.

Who shall file:

• Owner of the record
• Owner’s spouse
• Children
• Parents and Siblings
• Grandparents
• Guardian
• Other person duly authorized by law or by the owner of the document sought to be corrected;
• If owner of the record is a minor or physically or mentally incapacitated, 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:

• Petitioner must file at the LCR office where the birth was registered.  If he has transferred to a different location, the petition may also be filed at the LCR of his current city or municipality.
• If owner of certificate was born abroad, the petition must be filed with 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, voter’s affidavit, employment record, GSIS/SSS records, medical records, business records, driver’s license, insurance, land titles, certificate of land transfer, bank passbook, NBI / Police Clearance, civil registry records of ascendants.
• Notice / Certificate of Posting

Source: http://www.psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/middle-initial-entered-birth-certificate-instead-full

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: Middle Name Being Used is Different from Middle Name on Birth Certificate

Pinoy parents are very fond of giving their children long names.  One name is simply not enough and as a result, kids end up with three, four, or even five “first names”.

Such is the case of Maria Angeline Antonia Licudine De Castro.  Her  parents coined the first two names from their names, the father is Mario (hence, Maria) and the mother is Angela (hence, Angeline).  The “Antonia” was added by her grandmother at the last minute, right before the Certificate of Live Birth was finalized and submitted to the office of the Local Civil Registrar (LCR).

When Mario and Angela requested for a copy of May’s (their child’s nickname) PSA birth certificate, two years after she was born, they were surprised to find out that her middle name is written as “Antonia” instead of “Licudine” which is Angela’s maiden last name.  They reviewed the document further and confirmed that both their names as parents are correct.  How come they placed “Antonia” as the child’s middle name?

They were advised by the school administration to inquire at the LCR where their child’s birth was registered and find out how they can have the error corrected.

Upon consulting with the LCR officer, they learned that such errors can be rectified under R.A. 9048 or the act that authorizes the city or municipal civil registrar to correct a clerical or typographical error on a birth certificate entry without the need of a judicial order.  Mario and Angela breathed a sigh of relief upon learning this; they submitted the necessary documents and are now waiting for the LCR’s advise as to when they can request for the first corrected copy of their child’s birth certificate.

Here’s what you need to do in case you have the same birth certificate problem as Mario and Angela:

Who Shall File:

• Owner of the record
• Owner’s spouse
• Children
• Parents
• Siblings
• Grandparents
• Guardian
• Other person duly authorized by law or by the owner of the document.

Where to File:

• If born in the Philippines
  • Civil registry office where the birth certificate is registered.
  • In case the owner of the birth certificate no longer lives in the area where he was born, he may file the petition with the civil registry office where is currently residing.
• If born abroad
  • Philippine Consulate office where the birth is 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, voter’s affidavit, employment records, GSIS/SSS records, medical records, business records, driver’s license, insurance, land titles, certificate of land transfer, bank passbook, NBI/Police clearance, civil registry records of ascendants.
• Notice / Certificate of Posting
• Filing Fee: Php 1,000.  If filed abroad, filing fee is USD 50.00 or equivalent value in local currency.
• Other documents that may be required by the concerned civil registrar.

Source: https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/different-middle-name-entered-birth-certificate

 

Problems on NSO Marriage Certificate : No Entry on the Date of Marriage

It pays to carefully review our civil registry documents to make sure that all entries are accurate and clearly printed on the form.  Should there be entries needing correction, it is best to act on it as soon as possible as these corrections take time.  It would be a shame to miss out on opportunities simply because your birth or marriage certificate is not 100% accurate as required by most government and private establishments that we regularly transact with.

Our story for today is about a lady whose ardent dream is to travel to the U.S. and experience winter in the East Coast.  Melissa finally got her wish when her husband, Greg, announced that he has secured them an appointment at the DFA so they can renew their passports and then fly out to the U.S. in time for Christmas.  She was beyond ecstatic!

Melissa and Greg have only been married for less than two years and Melissa still uses her maiden name on her passport.  Since they are renewing their passports, she decided to include changing her maiden name to her married name.  They prepared all the necessary documents, their old passports, and other requirements needed for the passport renewal.

While waiting for their turn at the DFA, Greg noticed that the PSA marriage certificate he was holding did not have an entry in the date field.  There was no date indicated as to when he and Melissa got married.  He asked Melissa to check the copy in her file, the date of marriage field is also blank on the document she was holding.

Their worst fears were confirmed when they were told that renewing Melissa’s passport to reflect her married name may not be possible at this time because the marriage certificate they are presenting lacked the said detail.  She can still have her passport renewed but her maiden name shall be retained.

Melissa’s case, although alarming, can be remedied by filing a supplemental report at the city or municipality where her marriage with Greg was registered.  The following documents must be presented upon filing the petition:

• Affidavit of Supplemental Report on missing entries
• Copy of the Marriage Certificate from the PSA

Fees and other details related to these types of cases may be inquired at the Local Civil Registry office where the parties will be filing the supplemental reports.  While the first corrected copy of the PSA marriage certificate may be claimed by Melissa and Greg at the nearest PSA office.

Once they have the corrected copy of their marriage certificate, Melissa can have her name on her passport changed to her married name.

Source: https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/no-entries-some-items-certificate-marriage

Problems on NSO Marriage Certificate : Blurred or Unreadable Entries on the Certificate of Marriage

All the details reflected on your NSO Marriage Certificate (now PSA Marriage Certificate) are vital in proving the validity of your and your spouse’s union.  Should there be items that were omitted or overlooked while filling out the document, make sure to attend to these right away to avoid any delays in your future transactions like updating your IDs, passports, and bank accounts.

Conrad and Annie are a young couple who recently moved out of their parent’s house in Ilocos to begin life on their own in Manila.  Conrad is a banker while Annie used to be a pre-school teacher.  She voluntarily gave up her profession so she can focus on their baby and tend to their home.

Being the sole breadwinner for his family, Conrad invested on a health insurance for Annie and their baby so they would not need to worry about their finances when someone gets sick and needs to be taken to the hospital.  When he submitted their documents to the insurance firm, he was advised to double check their marriage certificate as the date and place of their marriage seem to be missing.

Going over the document, he realized that the fields for the date and place of marriage were not necessarily blank; it looked more like whatever were written on the blanks were smudged beyond recognition.  Conrad called Annie and asked her to check the other copies she had on file; unfortunately though, all copies had the same smudgy marks on the said fields.

The insurance firm would not proceed with his transaction until he is able to present a clearer copy of his marriage certificate.  Without the document, it would be difficult to prove that he and Annie are married and that she is qualified to be his primary dependent and beneficiary.

The couple packed their bags and took a long drive to Laoag City, where they were married.  They proceeded to the Local Civil Registry office where their marriage was registered and requested for a clearer copy of their certificate of marriage.  Sadly though, even the copies kept by the LCR were blurry and unreadable.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (www.psa.gov.ph) website, if the LCR’s copy of the marriage certificate is also unreadable, the document must be “reconstructed” following the couple’s submission of a duly accomplished LCR Form No. 3A.  The LCR will facilitate the reconstruction of their document so they can get a clearer copy later on.  The fees shall be determined by the municipal office and the requesting parties will be advised as to how long the process will take before they can get a clear copy of their document.

Source: http://www.census.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/blurredunreadable-entries

Problems on NSO Marriage Certificate : Misspelled Names of Bride or Groom

A marriage certificate is a vital civil registry document that attests to the union of a man and a woman. That is why it is important that the information written on the certificate are all accurate.

So what happens when you miss an entry or misspell a name in a marriage certificate?  Can these be corrected like how you correct an erroneous entry in a birth certificate?

Larps (short for Pilar) is a military nurse at a government hospital.  She plans to migrate to the U.S. as soon as she is granted a working visa.  When she met Steve, a U.S. Navy officer, they fell in love and decided to get married through civil rites in Quezon City.  After honeymooning in Boracay, Steve left for the U.S. and promised Larps that he will work on her petition papers as soon as he lands.

She began working on her documents, foremost of which is getting her passport renewed.  Steve reminded her to make sure she uses her married name on her passport from Maria Pilar T. Sorosa  to her married name of Maria Pilar S. Winters.

Larps requested for a copy of her PSA birth certificate and PSA marriage certificate as these were part of the documentary requirements for her passport renewal.  When she received the documents, she realized that the name appearing on her marriage certificate is slightly different from the name written on her birth certificate.

On her birth certificate, her name is written as Maria Pilar while on her marriage certificate, it is written as Ma. Pilar.  Right away, she knew this was going to be a concern especially since she will be presenting these documents at the U.S. Embassy.

How does a person have the information on her PSA marriage certificate corrected for errors?

These types of errors are covered by R.A. 9048 or the Clerical Error Law.  This law authorizes the LCR offices to apply corrections on birth and marriage certificate errors that are obviously due to typographical oversights.

Larps need only to file a petition for the correction of her name’s spelling on her marriage certificate, through R.A. 9048.  She needs to have it “corrected” so that her full name, Maria Pilar, as it is written on her birth certificate, appears on her marriage certificate.  Since they got married in Quezon City, she has to file the petition at the city hall of Quezon City.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) website, the filing fee for such corrections is P1,000, while the wait time to get the corrected copy shall be determined by the LCR.

It is better to address these corrections at the onset than wait until you are almost done with the filing process before you act on it.  Simple clerical errors can now be handled by the LCR and the sooner you file for correction, the sooner you can get on with your transactions.

Source: http://www.census.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/wrong-spelling-name-bride-andor-groom

 

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: False Information on Child’s Birth Certificate

Another common birth certificate problem encountered by Filipinos are erroneous declarations on the details of their birth, particularly details involving the parents.  Some parents declare that they are married at the time of their child’s birth, when in reality, they are not.  What they probably do not realize is that these false information will eventually surface and cause a huge deal of confusion in their public transactions.

Other false information that may be written on a child’s certificate of live birth are:

• Date and place of marriage
• Parent’s age at the time of the child’s birth
• Citizenship of parents

Such is the case of Rodel who grew up under the care of his single mom, Rebecca.  His father, Danny, left for the U.S. when Rodel was barely a year old and has not returned since.  They communicate only through mail and occasional phone calls.  Danny sends him money and regular basic supplies from the U.S. and because of his help, Rodel is able to attend good schools in Manila.

When Rodel was about to graduate from high school, Danny came home for a visit and after 16 years, father and son met for the very first time.  He offered to petition Rodel so he can study and work in the U.S.; Rebecca readily agreed to let her son go so he can pursue his studies abroad.

While they were in the process of completing the documents required to file the petition, Rodel learned that his parents did not have a valid marriage certificate.  Although his birth certificate shows that his parents got married on Valentine’s Day in 1999, no other documents could support this claim.  When he asked his mother about it, she admitted the following:

Rebecca and Danny separated before Rodel turned one because Danny’s parents did not approve of Rebecca.  They were also minors when they had Rodel and for that reason, they could not get married to make their union legal.  They kept their relationship a secret, including Rebecca’s pregnancy and Rodel’s birth.

Being minors then and under so much pressure, they thought it wise to declare on their child’s birth certificate that they are married.  They also faked the years of their births to make it appear that they are of age already.  Danny’s parents took him the U.S. to take him as far away from Rebecca as possible, not knowing that he already has a child with her.  While Danny was in the U.S., he and Rebecca decided to set their relationship aside and just focus on raising Rodel and providing for his needs.  Danny lived up to his commitment with Rebecca that he will provide for all of their son’s needs.  They remained friends ever since and both remained single until this time.

In reality, Rodel is an illegitimate child, born to parents who were not legally allowed to marry when he was born.

With everything out in the open, Danny, Rebecca, and Rodel decided to consult a lawyer for advice on what they need to do in order to get their son’s civil registry documents straightened out.

These types of cases are not solved by merely filing a petition for clerical error.  It is not covered by R.A. 10172 (Act authorizing the city or municipal Civil Registrar to correct clerical or typographical errors in the day and month in the date of birth or sex on birth certificates).

If you have a similar problem with your birth certificate, you may consult the office of the LCR where your birth was registered.  You also have the option to take the matter to a lawyer for legal advice.

Source:

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/civil-registration-laws/republic-act-no-10172

https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/civil-registration-laws/republic-act-no-9048

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: Child Was Registered at the LCR Twice

While some parents fail to properly register their newborn babies at the Local Civil Registry office, therefore resulting to Late Registration when the need for the child’s birth certificate arises, others do it not once, but twice (I hope not more than that!).  The following are just some of the reasons why this happens:

• I wanted to change my child’s name;
• I wanted to remove the name of my ex-husband from my child’s birth certificate;
• My parents-in-law interfered with the child’s birth registration; and
• We got a Negative Certification from the NSO so we went ahead and registered our child again (thinking that that is the only solution). 

At the end of the day, an individual whose birth has been registered twice will still have the same question: So which of the two birth certificates should I use?

Resty Mendoza got the shock of his life when, upon receiving his birth certificate, he saw that his name and birth place were different from what he has been using and declaring all his life!  He knew his real name was Restituto Alain Mendoza and that he was born in Camarines Sur (where he now resides).  The birth certificate he received from the mail says that his name is Ferdinand Alain Mendoza and that he was born in Pasay City.  All the rest of the information were correct: his parents’ names and birth places and his birthday.  All except his name and birthplace.

When he showed his parents the copy of the birth certificate he received, they confirmed that they had indeed registered his birth in Pasay City, a few weeks after he was born.  When the family moved to Camarines Sur, they requested for a copy of his birth certificate at the NSO in the area and were advised that the NSO did not have a copy of his birth certificate.  Instead of checking with the Pasay LCR, his parents filed a late registration of his birth certificate and took the opportunity to change his name and his place of birth.  They realized now that the LCR in Pasay may have endorsed a copy of his birth registration after all and now the PSA (formerly NSO) has the first copy of his birth certificate.

Resty will be graduating from college soon and the school required him to submit a copy of his PSA birth certificates (formerly NSO birth certificate).  Which birth certificate must he use now?

This time, Resty and his parents consulted the LCR in Camarines Sur and they were advised that the entries in his first birth registration are considered as his true and official birth details – especially his name and birthplace.  Since he is graduating, he will have to advise his school that his real name is Ferdinand and that to avoid confusion on his future transactions, his school records and diploma should now bear Ferdinand as his first name.

To avoid further expenses and delays in completing his school requirements, Resty agreed to use the details in his PSA birth certificate.  Although it will take a long time before he starts responding to the name “Ferdinand”, he knows that it is the best thing to do at that point.

His friends and families continued calling him “Resty” as his nickname.  And he has not failed to explain to new acquaintances how his nickname was coined when his real name is actually Ferdinand.  By doing this, he is also able to warn people of the hassles of registering a child’s birth twice.

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: Date of Parents’ Marriage on Child’s Birth Certificate is not the same as Date on Their Marriage Certificate

What are the consequences of wrong information on official documents such a child’s certificate of live birth?  How can these be corrected?

Dindo and Karen were childhood sweethearts who got separated while they were attending college in different provinces.  When they began working in Manila, their paths crossed again and this time, Dindo did not waste time and asked for Karen’s hand in marriage.  They got married in civil rites and in about five months, announced that they were expecting their first child.

One year into their marriage, Karen gave birth to a healthy baby girl.  Dindo accomplished the certificate of live birth at the hospital, wrote down all the details needed including the date of their marriage the year before that.

In 2014, their daughter turned six years old, ready to begin pre-school.  Both parents were excited to enroll her at the neighborhood Montessori.  Karen was given a list of required documents for submission and foremost were copies of the child’s PSA birth certificate and the couple’s PSA marriage certificate.  Karen ordered for copies of the said documents and was oddly surprised to find out that the PSA does not have a record of their civil wedding.

They did not bother to check with the solemnizing officer who married them six years ago.  Instead, they got married again and this time, made sure that their papers were duly submitted to the PSA for proper certification.  Before the year ended, they got hold of a copy of their PSA-certified marriage certificate.  At last, they can enroll their daughter to school!

Or so they thought.  The headmistress of the school pointed out that the date of their marriage on their child’s birth certificate does not agree with the date on their marriage certificate.  And although they are not refusing the child’s enrollment, the couple needs to submit the correct copies of their documents before the school year ends.

So what should Karen and Dindo do in order to get their family’s civil registry documents corrected and aligned?

As in any other case of Negative Certification (issued by the PSA if your requested civil registry document does not appear in their files), Karen and Dindo need to check with the solemnizing officer who married them six years ago and find out if he had submitted their documents to the LCR of that city / municipality.  If he did, they need to check with the LCR if they have the copy and request that the LCR endorse a copy to the PSA for the necessary certification.

But how about their subsequent marriage?  Will this have an effect on the integrity of their existing civil registry documents?

The details of the couple’s first marriage, after LCR has endorsed the documents to the PSA for proper certification, shall be followed in all of their other documents, including their child’s birth certificate.  Their second marriage is considered a “renewal of vows” but its details (date, place) shall not supersede the details of their first marriage.

Source: https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/problems-and-solutions/negative-result-or-no-record-nso

Problems with NSO Birth Certificate: Wrong Year of Birth

A PSA Birth Certificate (formerly NSO Birth Certificate) bearing an incorrect birth date and month of the owner can be corrected under R.A. 9048 (also known as the Clerical Error Law).  But what if it is the birth year that needs correction?  Is this still covered by R.A. 9048?  Let us find out.

Gelay was born on December 15, 2015 in Calapan City, Mindoro.  On the same date, at 8PM, Typhoon Melor struck the province and immediately rendered the entire town paralyzed with floodwaters and strong winds.  Her mother gave birth at home for fear of getting stranded on her way to the hospital.

It took weeks before their area was cleared.  Gelay’s parents were able to take her to the clinic for a check-up three weeks after she was born.  And although the health workers reminded them to get Gelay registered at the city hall as soon as possible, other more pressing concerns brought by the typhoon kept both parents busy.

On February 2016, Gelay’s Lola came to visit and immediately took on the task of taking care of the baby.  She asked if Gelay has been registered yet and if a copy of her birth certificate is already available.  Only then did Gelay’s parents realize that they still have not accomplished their daughter’s birth registration!

The Lola volunteered to process the registration herself.  She supplied all the information needed on the certificate however, she failed to double check on her granddaughter’s date of birth.  Instead of December 15, 2015, the Lola wrote January 15, 2016.

When her parents requested for a copy of Gelay’s PSA birth certificate, they realized that the birth date and year reflected arewrong.  When they consulted a friend who works at the Local Civil Registry office, they were advised that Gelay’s case is not covered by R.A. 9048 or the Clerical Error Law.  Therefore, correcting the birth date, month, and year is not going to be a simple task (at least not as simple as correcting a misspelled name or incorrect birth month and date).

Although Gelay’s birthday, as reflected on her PSA Birth Certificate, is only a month short from her true and correct date of birth, her parents still need to file a case in court to have this corrected.  This is because the year of her birth needs to be corrected too.

Persons seeking to have this kind of error corrected need to consult a lawyer to find out what processes are involved and fees that need to be paid.  Make sure that you are transacting with a person who is legally empowered to give you advice and charge you fees to get the corrections duly applied on your birth certificate.

Source: https://psa.gov.ph/civilregistration/civil-registration-laws/republic-act-no-10172-implementing-rules-and-regulations