S E N A T E  
S No. 
805 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution provides that “the state recognizes the role of women 
in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of 
women and men.” (Section 14, Article 11). The evident purposes of this 
constitutional provision is to eliminate inequalities found in existing laws. Such 
laws indicate the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386), 
specifically Articles 370 and 372 thereof and Article 63 of the Family Code of 
the Philippines (Executive Order 209). Under the said laws, a married woman 
is not specifically granted the option to use her maiden name and surname; 
and, in case legal separation has been granted, she is not allowed to use her 
maiden first name and surname either. The law treats a woman as mere 
appendage of her husband. 
The advancement of women in Philippine society and the growing 
number of women handling sensitive jobs and important responsibilities 
heretofore reserved exclusively for males have, for all practical intents and 
purposes, rendered the aforementioned Civil Code provisions irrelevant, if not 
archaic. 
Change of name also results in untold inconveniences to, and material 
losses for, a growing number of Filipino women. By allowing Filipino women to 
retain their surname as part of their individuality, even after marriage or legal 
separation, this bill seeks to translate into reality the concept of “fundamental 
equality” of men and women before the law as enshrined in our Constitution. 
Hence, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly urged. 
REVILLA, JR. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.B. No. CiBOS 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT ALLOWING MARRIED OR LEGALLY SEPARATED WOMEN 
TO USE THEIR MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE ARTICLES THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY AND THREE 
HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED THREE 
HUNDRED EIGHTY-SIX, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CIVIL 
CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION I ,  Article 370 of Republic Act Numbered Three Hundred Eighty- 
six, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Article 370. A married woman may use: 
(I) HER MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME, or 
(2) Her maiden first name and surname and add her 
husband’s surname, or 
(3) Her maiden first name and her husband‘s surname, or 
(4) Her husband‘s full name, but prefixing a word indicating 
that she is his wife, such as ‘Mrs.”’. 
SEC. 2. Article 372 of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as 
“Article 372. When legal separation has been granted, the wife 
[shall] MAY EITHER continue using her name and surname 
employed before the legal separation [ , J OR USE HER 
MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME. 
SEC. 3. Article 63 of Executive Order No. 209, series of 1987 otherwise 
known as the Family Code of the Philippines is hereby amended by adding new 
paragraph to read as follows: 
follows: 
“Art. 63. The decree of legal separation shall have the 
following effects: 
(I) The spouses shall be entitled to live separately from each 
other, but the marriage bonds shall not be severed; 
(2) The absolute community or the conjugal partnership shall 
be dissolved and liquidated but the offending spouse shall 
have no right to any share of the net profits earned by the 


absolute community or the conjugal partnership, which shall 
be forfeited in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 (2); 
(3) The custody of the minor children shall be awarded to the 
innocent spouse, subject to the provisions of Article 21 3 of 
this Code; and 
(4) The offending spouse shall be disqualified from inheriting 
from the innocent spouse by interstate succession. Moreover, 
provisions in favor of the offending spouse made in the will of 
the innocent spouse shall be revoked by operation of law.” 
(5) THE WIFE SHALL HAVE THE OPTION TO CONTINUE 
USING HER NAME BEFORE THE LEGAL SEPARATION 
OR HER MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME. 
Sec. 4. The provisions of Republic Act No. 386, as amended and such 
other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
Sec. b. This Act shalt take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,