FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF TRE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 
Jut. -3 
Pi11 :I 3 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Under the Family Code, illegitimate children are granted the right to use their 
father’s surname with the intention of removing, or at least diminishing, the stigma and 
shame which accompanies illegitimacy. 
This bill aims to emphasize the primordial importance of the role of mothers 
when it comes to the surname of their illegitimate children. The proposed amendment, in 
recognition of the fact that mothers have the sole parental authority over their illegitimate 
children, mandates that mothers should give express prior consent to the use of the 
father’s surname, There is a danger that a father might use this right as leverage over the 
mother, either to avoid obligations or to impose unreasonable demands, and as a result 
undermine the parental authority of a mother over her illegitimate child. 
Furthermore, the amendment seeks to negate the presumption that every mother is 
willing to assent to the use of the father’s surname and that such use is always for the best 
interest of the child. Bearing in mind the welfare of the illegitimate child, there may be 
instances where the mother strongly believes that her son or daughter’s well-being would 
be better protected if the surname of the father will not be used. 
In this light, the approval of this bill is highly recommended. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 718 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT AMENDING SECTION ONE OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER NINE 
AN ACT ALLOWING ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN TO USE THE SURNAME 
OF THEIR FATHER, AMENDTNG FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 176 OF THE 
FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled 
SECTION 1. Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the 
Family Code ofthe Philippines, is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
"Article 176. Illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall be under 
the parental authority of their mother, and shall be entitled to support in 
conformity with this Code. However, illegitimate children may use the 
surname of their father if their affiliation has been expressly recognized by 
the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or 
when an admission in a public document or private handwritten instrument 
is made by the father. Provided, the father has the right to institute an 
action before the regular courts to prove non-filiation during his lifetime. 
AND PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT IN ANY CASE, THE 
MOTHER SHALL GIVE HER EXPRESS AND PRIOR CONSENT 
TO THE USE OF THE SURNAME OF THE FATHER. The legitime 
of each illegitimate child shall consist of one-half of the legitime of a 
legitimate child." 
Sec. 2. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
whichever comes earlier. 
Approved,