黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The House of Representatives approved on final reading on Wednesday a measure providing for the right of married women to retain their maiden surname.

With 227 affirmative votes, zero negative, and no abstention, the lower chamber approved House Bill No. 10459, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 386, as amended or the 鈥淣ew Civil Code of the Philippines.鈥�

Under the measure, married women may use any of the following:

鈥� Maiden first name and surname;
鈥� Maiden first name and surname and add her husband鈥檚 surname;
鈥� Maiden first name and her husband鈥檚 surname; or
鈥� Husband鈥檚 full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as 鈥淢rs.鈥�

Previously, the Civil Code states that married women 鈥渕ay use鈥� maiden first name and surname and add her husband鈥檚 surname; maiden first name and her husband鈥檚 surname; or husband鈥檚 full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as 鈥淢rs.鈥� after marriage.

A previous Supreme Court ruling stressed that the use of 鈥渕ay鈥� in the Civil Code 鈥渋ndicates that the use of the husband鈥檚 surname by the wife is permissive rather than obligatory.鈥�

The House bill seeks to further clarify the current Civil Code by categorically including 鈥渕aiden first name and surname鈥� among the possible options for women after marriage.

The committee on revision of laws said that the measure seeks to provide equality between men and women before the law by allowing married women to retain their maiden surname.