House OKs bill allowing married women to keep maiden surnames

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has passed a measure allowing women to retain their surnames after marriage.

In plenary session earlier this week, congressmen decided unanimously to approve on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 10459 that seeks to give women the choice to retain their maiden surnames.

A total of 227 congressmen present in session voted to approve the bill, which proposes amendment in Article 370 of Republic Act 386 or the New Civil Code of the Philippines.

HB 10459, principally authored by nine congressmen led by Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez and revision of laws committee chairperson Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, aims to provide equality between men and women by allowing married women to retain their maiden surnames.

It upholds the right of married women to retain their maiden surnames even after marriage and provides married women options in the surname that they may use after marriage.

Under the bill, a woman will be given the option to use any of the following upon marriage: maiden first name and surname, maiden first name and surname and 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.”