THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLm JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitutional edict granting equal treatment for both men and women is a principle 
the State endeavors to uphold. Pursuant to this, efforts have been exerted to eliminate vestiges of 
inequalities found in existing laws. 
In Republic Act No. 386, also known as the Civil Code of the Philippines and Executive 
Order 209, also known as the Family Code of the Philippines, a married woman continues to be 
treated as a mere appendage of her husband. She is not specifically granted the option to use her 
maiden name and surname. 
The principle of fundamental equality between men and women necessitates that a bill of 
this nature be passed. By allowing Filipino women to retain their surnames as part of their 
individuality, even after marriage or legal separation, we shall be eliminating yet another vestige 
of inequality found in our laws, and translating the Constitutional edict into a tangble reality. 
MANUEL B. ILLAR, JR. 
Y 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
.
I
 
SENATE 
, ,> 
S. No. 
810 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
AN ACT ALLOWING MARRIED OR LEGALLY SEPARATED WOMEN TO USE 
THEIR MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 386, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CIVIL CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, ARTICLES 370 AND 372, AND EXECUTIVE ORDER 209 SERIES OF 
1987, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, ARTICLE 63 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 370 of Republic Act Numbered Three Hundred Eighty-six, is 
hereby further amended to read as follows: 
“Article 370. A married woman may use: 
(1) 
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 follows: 
“Article 372; When legal separation has been granted, the wife MAY 
EITHER continue using her name and surname employed before the legal separation OR 
HER MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME” 
SEC 3. “Article 63. of Executive Order No. 209, series of 1987, also known as the Family Code of the 
Philippines, is hereby amended by adding a new paragraph to be numbered as paragraph 5 and to read as follows: 
“ Article 63. The decree of legal separation shall have the following 
effects: 


The spouses shall be entitled to live separately from each other, but 
the marriage bonds shall not be severe; 
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 
and accordance with the provisions of Article 43 (2); 
The custody of the minor children shall be awarded to the innocent 
spouse, subject to the provisions of Article 213 of this Code; 
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,” AND 
THE WIFE SHALL HAVE THE OPTION TO CONTINUE 
USING HER NAME BEFORE THE LAGAL SEPARATION OR 
HER MEIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME. 
SEC 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule and regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC 5. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspaper in general circulation. 
Approved,