Changing Surname After Marriage – Is it required in the Philippines?

Changing Surname After Marriage – Is it required in the Philippines?

Changing surname after marriage is one of the most common misconceptions we have here in the Philippines. Most brides think that after the wedding, they are obliged to change, and use their husband’s surname.

There was actually a love quote that even romanticizes this misconception. And it goes something like this…

He stole my heart so I’m going to steal his last name.

But according to Article 370 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, a married woman has 3 options.

Options of a Married Woman:

1. Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname
2. Her maiden first name and her husband’s surname
3. Husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”

In addition to these options stated by Article 370 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, Supreme Court also explained that a woman is “allowed to use not only any of the three names provided in Article 370, but also her maiden name upon marriage. She is not prohibited from continuously using her maiden name once she is married because when a woman marries, she does not change her name but only her civil status. Further, this interpretation is in consonance with the principle that surnames indicate descent.” in the case of Remo vs Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

As also stated in the Memorandum Circular No. 2016-07, “a married woman has an option, but not a duty, to use the surname of the husband.”

In layman’s term, it only means that a married woman may choose to retain her maiden name, hyphenate, or use her husband’s surname. And all these options are absolutely legal.

Are Brides Aware that Changing Surname after Marriage is not Obligatory?

I actually asked The Budgetarian Bride‘s Community last June 2, 2020 if they choose to change or retain their surname. Which, I think, by reading the thread, you’ll notice that some brides in our community are already aware of this. You can read the full thread here:

And that’s it for our discussion about changing surname after marriage!

I hope you find this article fruitful, please feel free to share to your friends, and leave a comment below if you want to suggest future blog topics from the Budgetarian Bride.