In the Philippines, there are certain circumstances where a married woman can use her maiden name. She can do this if she is a high-ranking official or she has no other official name.
The Official Name Act defines an official name as a husband’s, wife’s, or fiancé’s formal name. This applies to things like business registrations, identification documents, and government contracts.
If you have another personal name that is not your husband’s personal name, then you can use that too. You can even use this as a second surname if you have no other surname.
This article will discuss whether or not a married woman can use her maiden name in the Philippines, and how to do so safely and securely.
Contents:
Changing your surname
Changing your surname is possible in the Philippines. It all depends on what changes your limits of limitation.
Many Filipino men and women choose to change their surnames to reflect their accomplishments or for privacy reasons. In fact, this is a popular way for some people to commemorate their family members and/or early years of life.
To use your new surname, you must first legally change your last name to a new one. Then, you can use your new surname on paper or in formal situations.
Generally, people use the old surname when they marry, if there is no previous family history with that name, then they can use the changed one for informal situations.
Communicating your identity
When you’re in the public eye, you may be contacted by people using your last name as their profession or identity.
Protecting your personal assets
It is very common for married women to use their married name for personal assets. This is most common in the United States and Australia, where it is very socially accepted for women to own property and manage it in their own names.
In the Philippines, there is no legal requirement that your husband names all of your properties after him. So, if you want to put your money into a grocery store or a beauty store, you can do that!
However, it is always good etiquette to keep a paper trail of every spending and investing decision you make. This helps show others that you are being responsible and protects your assets in case something happened to the company or any changes were made.
As far as keeping records of investments, I would suggest doing this via an online service because of the risk involved. You can also request his help in this matter but he must be aware of these things as well.
Maiden name = professional identity
In the Philippines, there are certain conditions that need to be met for a married woman to use her maiden name as her professional identity. These conditions include: being an established professional with a track record, having enough credibility and recognition in the business community, being in demand in the public eye, or just wanting to break free from the traditional “names” given to you at birth.
The use of a husband’s middle name is not appropriate for professional purposes as it is not considered a formal name. It is also important to note that one cannot use a married woman’s maiden name as a secondary or personal identity.
If you have any questions about whether it is appropriate for a married woman to use her husband’s middle name or if it is appropriate for her maiden name in the Philippines, answer that question and post your answer below.
Reasons for not changing your surname
There are two main reasons why a married woman should not use her maiden name in the Philippines. The first reason is if the woman wants to change her status in the family.
Under Philippine law, a married woman can obtain legal separation from her husband without giving up her surname. In this case, she will change her marriage certificate to use her maiden name as the last name.
However, under current law, she will still have to obtain a new divorce and re-marriage certificate if she wants to change her status in the family.
The second reason is if there is an outstanding charge against your maiden name. For example, if your husband was charged with breaking up his business, then it may be difficult for you to get rid of the debt because it is tied to your maiden name.
Keep your maiden name + change your surname
There are several reasons why you may want to keep your married name and/or change your surname. These include:
You are from a distinguished family; You have a long history of contributions to community and society; You like your new surname more than your previous one; You would like to establish a legacy with your children’s or grandchildren’s children and/or grandchildren.
If you have a strong desire to take on a new last name, you may want to change it. After all, it will probably be years before you hear of your new last name being used, so you may as well make sure that it is recognized.
As we discussed earlier, using one’s maiden name is the way to go if there is no mother or father listed on the document. However, in case there was a parent who provided their child with the birth record shows that they had a second name, then the parents should register that too.
If there was no second or third name given, then the parent should use their first and last names before establishing their parental unit.
Use both names professionally
It is common in the Philippines for people to use both their married names as well as their maiden names in professional settings.
This is usually done for prestige purposes and to solidify your career. It is also very common in the working world to use both your married name and your job title.
As a recent graduate, you will be using your maiden name on your professional website and during applying processes. You can expect job interviews with more confidence now that you have a married name!
When it comes to using your married name on social media, there are no restrictions. You can post under both names if you want to. As long as it does not violate any guidelines, you can posting under two different names is harmless.
Helps establish a personal identity
Using a maiden name is both uncommon and legally valid in the Philippines. It does not change your legal gender, but it can help establish a new personal identity that fits you.
The rules are different for men than for women, so make sure to consult an official source if you want to use a male last name. Even if the person using the maiden name already has a legal last name, using one as a new last name helps establish another identity.
For example, someone named Maria may use her maiden name as her new legal last name, but she uses her married name as her personal first and middle names. Using her married name as her original first and middle names helps show that she is married, while using her maiden name shows that she is someone special.
In the Philippines, there are two reasons to use a married woman’s maidenName: to establish an old self-identity or to establish a new personal identityetta.