Correcting birth certificates

Onnie C. Duran

CANDON CITY -- Typographical errors like names in birth certificates can now be corrected without hassle. Any person wishing to change their first name or any clerical and typographical error registered in their birth certificates, can now do so without judicial order.

Section (3) of R.A. 9048 provides: “filing a case in any court of law for this purpose is no longer required and necessary; instead, a verified petition which is in the form of an affidavit will suffice in filing a petition to the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO), for a change of first name or any clerical or typographical errors to be corrected.

“However, the affidavit shall set forth facts necessary to establish the merits of the petition and show affirmatively that the petitioner is competent enough to testify to the matters stated. The erroneous entry or entries sought to be corrected or first name to be changed must be stated correctly in the petition.

“The petition for the correction of clerical or typographical error shall be supported with a certified true machine copy of the certificate or of the page of the registry book containing the entry sought to be corrected, two public or private documents showing the correct entry or entries upon which the correction shall be based.

“In case of a change of first name, the petition shall be supported also with a certified true machine copy of the certificate or of the page of the registry book containing the entry to be corrected, a clearance or certification that the owner of the document has no pending administrative, civil or criminal case, or no criminal record, affidavit of publication from the publisher and a copy of the newspaper clippings.

“The amount of one thousand pesos is hereby authorized as filing fee for the correction of clerical or typographical errors and three thousand pesos for the change of first name.

“The local legislative body shall ratify the fees prescribed under RA. 9048. Any person who violates any of the provision of this act shall upon conviction, be penalized by imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than 12 years, or a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P100,000 or both at discretion of the court.”