House passes bill allowing married women to retain maiden names

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The proposal that would allow married women to retain their maiden names – and not necessarily follow their husband’s surnames — has been finally approved by the House of Representatives.

During the plenary session on Tuesday, 277 lawmakers voted in favor of House Bill (HB) No. 4605, while none of the legislators present voted against it or abstained.

If enacted, the bill will amend Article 370 of Republic Act No. 386 or the New Civil Code of the Philippines.

Under the current law, a married woman is allowed to use the following combinations for her name:

• Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname
• Her maiden first name and her husband’s surname
• Her husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”

But with HB No. 4605, the following name combinations for married women will be allowed:

• maiden first name and surname
• maiden first name and surname, and add her husband’s name
• maiden first name and her husband’s surname
• husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”

The bill was approved on second reading last March 14 – a day after it was brought up to the plenary during an all-women session day in celebration of Women’s Month.

READ: Female solons take control in House for Women’s Month celebratory session 

A bill to allow married women to keep their maiden surnames has been filed before.

In December 2021, during the 18th Congress, House Bill No. 10459 was approved on the third and final reading but lacked time for Senate debates due to the election season.

Former speaker and now Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also filed a similar bill in August 2018.

RELATED STORIES

Bill allowing married women to retain maiden surnames approved on 2nd reading 

House OKs bill giving married women the choice to retain maiden surname 

Arroyo bill to let women use maiden surnames

KGA/abc