House OKs bill allowing married women to retain maiden name
THE House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a measure allowing married women to retain their maiden surname.
House Bill 10459, which got 277 yes votes, zero no vote and abstention, provides the right of every woman to use her surname despite marriage.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 386 or the New Civil Code of the Philippines.
Under the measure, married women may use maiden first name and surname; maiden first name and surname then 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.
The Supreme Court had ruled that the use of “may” in the Civil Code indicates that the use of husband’s surname by the wife is permissive rather than obligatory.”
Members of the Lower Chamber said the bill intends to further clarify the current Civil Code by categorically including “maiden first name and surname” among the possible options for women after marriage.
Sponsor of the measure, the House Committee on Revision of Laws, stressed that the measure seeks to provide equality between men and women before the law.
