How to Change the “Baby Boy” or “Baby Girl” Entry on Your Birth Certificate

Sometimes, parents are so endeared by the name “Baby” that they legally register their children under that name. According to Forebears , a name and genealogy resource, 1 in 2,744 Filipinos is named “Baby.”

It can be cute to call little ones “Baby.” However, they won’t remain babies forever. They’ll eventually grow up and pursue professional careers wherein the name “Baby” may not be suitable. For example, having a corporate chairman whose name includes “Baby” can be off-putting in the business world.

Besides parents intentionally naming their children “Baby,” hospitals also commit errors sometimes. They use “Baby Boy” or “Baby Girl” as default identifications for infants in the nursery. Then, for some unfortunate reason, the name “Baby Boy” or “Baby Girl” becomes the baby’s first name on their Certificate of Live Birth. Eventually, their birth certificate will reflect such a name.

If you are legally named “Boy,” “Girl,” “Baby Boy,” or “Baby Girl,” there are ways you can have your first name corrected. Read on to learn how to change your name on your birth certificate in the Philippines.

How to Change the “Baby Boy” or “Baby Girl” Entry on Your Birth Certificate

If Applicant is Born Before 1993

If you were born before 1993 and your first name is “Baby Boy,” “Baby Girl,” “Baby,” “Boy,” or “Girl,” the government treats your first name as if it was not registered. Hence, you need to file a supplemental report. This is provided in Memorandum Circular dated Sept. 12, 2008, re: “Revisions in Paragraph 2, Case No. 1 of Memorandum Circular No. 2007-2008.”  

Procedure for Filing a Supplementary Report

A supplemental report is a document you file when there is missing information on a civil registry document. The document owner, either of their parents, or a guardian can file this report. Below are the filing steps depending on the applicant’s birthplace.

For Applicants Born in the Philippines

1. Proceed to the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) of the city or municipality where the birth was registered. Then, submit the required documents. These include:
• Three photocopies of the applicant’s PSA birth certificate showing the information to be corrected
• Three photocopies of any three of the following IDs:
• Passport
• Baptismal Certificate
• Voter’s ID
• Voter’s Certificate
• Driver’s License
• School ID
• School Records, Transcript of Records, or Diploma
• NBI or Police Clearance
• Company ID
• Employment Record
• Medical Records
• Other public or private documents or IDs that support the correction sought
2. Next, pay the filing fees at the cashier.
3. The LCRO will review the documents and identify any discrepancies that need to be corrected or any missing documents that need to be presented. If the documents are complete, the LCRO will prepare the supplemental report and affidavit.
4. Then, the LCRO will issue copies of the supplemental report and affidavit. From there, you’ll need to proceed to the nearest PSA provincial office , present the supplemental report, and seek the endorsement of the document to the Office of the Civil Registrar General.
5. Upon securing the endorsement, send a copy of the supplemental report, affidavit, and endorsement letter to the Office of the Civil Registrar General through any of the official couriers (JRS, LBC, or DHL). Be sure to keep the receipt of the transaction.
6. After three working days, proceed to the Office of the Civil Registrar General at PSA Complex, East Avenue, Quezon City to verify if the entry has been supplied on your birth certificate. Be sure to bring with you the courier transaction receipt, your personal copy of the supplemental report, and your old PSA birth certificate.

For Applicants Born Abroad

1. Proceed to the appropriate Philippine Consulate and submit the following documents:
• Three photocopies of the applicant’s PSA birth certificate showing the information to be corrected
• Photocopy of the data page of the petitioner’s passport
• Three photocopies of any three of the following IDs:
• Passport
• Baptismal Certificate
• Voter’s ID
• Voter’s Certificate
• Driver’s License
• School ID
• School Records, Transcript of Records, or Diploma
• NBI or Police Clearance
• Company ID
• Employment Record
• Medical Records
• Other public or private documents or IDs that support the correction sought
2. The Consular Officer will review the documents and identify any discrepancies that need to be corrected or any missing documents that need to be presented.
3. If the documents are complete, the officer will ask you to pay the filing fees at the cashier. Then, the Consulate will prepare the supplemental report and affidavit.
4. Next, copies of the supplemental report and affidavit will be issued to you. From there, the Consular Officer will advise you on the additional steps you need to take.

If Applicant is Born in 1993 or Onwards

If you were born in 1993 or onwards and the first name appearing on your birth certificate is “Baby Boy,” “Baby Girl,” “Baby,” “Boy,” or “Girl,” such first name is officially considered as your registered first name. This can be corrected by filing a petition for change of first name under RA 9048. This is provided in Memorandum Circular dated Sept. 12, 2008, re: “Revisions in Paragraph 2, Case No. 1 of Memorandum Circular No. 2007-2008.”

RA 9048 provides that civil registrars can now correct clerical or typographical errors on the applicant’s birth certificate without the need for a trial. This law amended Articles 376 and 412 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, which require a judicial order in correcting entries on a civil registry document.

As such, anyone who wants to correct clerical or typographical errors on their birth certificate can do so by simply filing a verified petition. You can only file this petition once. The LCRO will then keep a record of the petition.

To file a petition for change of first name, simply proceed to your city or municipality’s LCRO. If you live abroad, you can file a petition at the nearest Philippine Consulate.

Requirements in Filing a Petition for Change of First Name

The law prescribes a particular format when petitioning for a change of first name. Here are the basic requirements:

1. Contents of the petition

The petition should be in the form of a notarized affidavit. It should contain the following:

• Facts establishing the merits of the petition
• Information showing that you’re competent to testify about the matters stated in the affidavit
• The erroneous entry or entries to be corrected and the proposed correction(s)
2. Supporting documents

To support your petition, you must attach the following documents to the affidavit:

• A certified true copy of the birth certificate or page of the registry book containing the entry or entries you want to be corrected or changed
• At least two public or private documents showing the correct entry or entries, which will serve as the basis for the correction or change
• A certification from appropriate law enforcement agencies showing that you have no pending case or criminal record
• Other documents that the city or municipal civil registrar or consul general may consider relevant and necessary for the approval of the petition
3. Distribution of the petition documents

You should file three copies of the petition together with its supporting documents to be distributed as follows:

• First copy - for the concerned city or municipal civil registrar or consul general
• Second copy - for the Office of the Civil Registrar General
• Third copy - your copy
4. Publication

Section 5 of RA 9048 requires that the petition be published at least once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.

5. Filing fee

The city or municipal civil registrar or the consul general shall collect a reasonable fee for the processing of the petition. The current fee at the LCRO is Php 3,000. If you are filing with the consul general, the cost is $150. If you are an indigent petitioner, you are exempted from paying the filing fee.

Outgrow Your Name

If you find the name “Baby Boy,” “Baby Girl,” “Baby,” “Boy,” or “Girl” unsuitable for you, you don’t have to live with it forever. You have the chance to have it legally changed by filing a supplementary report or petition. 

If you need a copy of your birth certificate, you can process it in person at the nearest PSA Civil Registry System Outlet. You can also get your PSA birth certificate online. Just head over to PSAHelpline.ph for a hassle-free application process!