AGBASBASAAK iti maysa nga unibersidad iti Manila. Adda nobiok, ni James, estudiante iti sabali nga unibersidad iti Manila met laeng. Agpadakami nga addan iti maudi a tukad ti kolehio. Nursing ti kursok ket Commerce met kenkuana. Agpadakami nga addan iti makunkuna a legal age. Napintas met ti relasion iti nagbaetan dagiti pamiliami.

Iti maysa a panag-date-mi ken James, nailaw-ankami ket nagbunga dayta a pannakailaw-an.  Impakaammomi kadagiti dadakkelmi ket naawatandakami. Ngem inyunay-unayda a leppasenmi ti adalmi. Impanamnamada a suportarandakami. Idi dandaniakon aganak, kapilitan a nagsardengak iti panagadalko. Inkarik nga ituloykonto met laeng inton makaanakak. Awan pay panggepmi nga agkasar ken James. Planomi ti agsimpa inton makaturpos ken kabaelanmin a biagen ti pamiliami. Naawatan met dagiti pamiliami daytoy a planomi.

Babaen ti ultrasound iti naminsan a panagpa-check-up-ko iti maysa nga OB Gynecologist, naammuanmi a lalaki ti agbalin nga anakmi. Nakaragragsakkami aglalo ni James. Napilimin ti naganna a Michelangelo a naadaw iti nagan ti maysa a nalatak nga Italiano a pintor. Nalaing ngamin nga agpinta ni James. 

Kayat ni James nga ipasurot ti apeliedona ken ni Michelangelo ngem saankami met pay a nagkasar. Iti biangko, kayatko met dayta a plano ni James tapno mapasingkedan ti relasionda nga agama ken tapno mausarto ni Michelangelo ti apeliedo ni James inton sumrek iti eskuela ken kadagiti dadduma pay a public ken private record-na. Mayayon kadi iti linteg ti plano ni James? Mabalin kadi nga usaren ni Michelangelo ti apeliedona?—Miriam

Kolum

TULONG ITI MANNALON: Camote Chips ti Produkto ti Brgy. Mabaleng

Patgek a Miriam,

Wen, mayayon iti linteg dayta plano ni James nga ipasurotna iti apeliedona ti anakyo a ni Michelangelo uray saankayo pay a nagkasar.

Iti kulturatayo a Filipino, kayat ti ama nga usaren ti anakna, aglalo no lalaki, ti apeliedona ta kayatna nga adda mangituloy iti apeliedona. Pakaidayawanda a maitultuloy ti pannakausar iti apeliedoda babaen dagiti annakda a lalaki.

Ngem laglagipem, Miriam, a gapu ta saankayo pay a nagkasar ken James, agbalinto nga illegitimate child (wenno maawagan itan a non-marital child iti baro a paglintegan) ni Michelangelo inton mayanak. Ti anak laeng a produkto ti maysa a kasar ti mabalin nga awagan a kas legitimate child (maawagan itan a kas marital child.)  Panggep ti baro a paglintegan nga ikkaten ti pannakaibabain wenno dagiti stigma iti maysa mga illegitimate child nga inosente ta saanna a basol dagiti nagbasolan dagiti nagannak kenkuana. Ngem iti panangrisutta iti problemam, bay-am nga usarek pay laeng ti illegitimate child wenno illegitimate children tapno nalaklaka a maawatam dagiti ibalakadko kenka. Dagiti illegitimate children ket adda met dagiti karbenganda a kas koma iti suporta manipud kadagiti nagannak kadakuada, ken adda met karbenganda nga agtawid, ken dadduma pay.

Kas nakunan, iti imatang ti linteg, saan a mabalin nga agsagaba ti maysa nga illegitimate child gapu iti biddut dagiti nagannak kenkuana isu a mabalin nga usaren ni Michelangelo ti apeliedo ni James a tatangna.

Iti dati nga Article 176 ti Executive Order No. 209, a makunkuna a Family Code of the Philippines a nagepekto idi Agosto 3, 1988, a panawen daydi Presidente Corazon C. Aquino, ti maysa nga illegitimate child ket usarenna ti apeliedo ti inana ken ti autoridad ti nagannak wenno parental authority ket adda iti ina.

Ngem idi naipaulog ti Republic Act No. 9255, wenno  “An Act Allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surname of the Father, Amending the Family Code of the Philippines” idi 2004 a panawen ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, mabalinen nga usaren ti maysa nga illegitimate child ti apeliedo ti amana no la ketdi mapaneknekan ti filiation wenno ti relasion wenno koneksionda a kas agama babaen ti record of birth iti civil register, panangadmitir ti maysa nga ama iti  public document kas koma iti notariado a dokumento wenno ti ama ket nagsurat iti maysa a pribado a dokumento nga inadmitir wenno inakseptarna  nga anakna ti maysa nga illegitimate child.

Nupay kasta, iti baro a paglintegan, adda met karbengan ti ama a mangipila iti kaso iti korte tapno paneknekanna a saanna nga anak ti inadmitir wenno inakseptarna nga illegitimate child, kas koma no nagkamali isuna wenno naloko isuna a nangadmitir wenno nangakseptar nga anakna ti maysa nga illegitimate child.

Daytoy a Republic Act No. 9255, inngatona pay ti mabalin a tawiden ti maysa nga illegitimate child iti amana a kaguduan iti tawid ti legitimate child a kabsatna. Ngarud iti baro a paglintegan ad-adun dagiti karbengan a maited kadagiti illegitimate children ngamin ta kas iti nakunakon, ti basol dagiti nagannak ket saan a basol dagiti illegitimate children. Maiparbeng la unay daytoy baro a paglintegan ta salaknibanna aglalo dagiti awan gawayna nga illegitimate children.

Tapno nalawlawag, mabalin nga usaren ti maysa nga illegitimate child ti apeliedo ti amana no bigbigen ti amana isuna nga illegitimate child-na babaen ti panagpirma ti amana iti Affidavit of Admission of Paternity wenno Affidavit of Acknowledgement iti likud ti Certificate of Live Birth ti illegitimate child, wenno panangaramid ken panangpirma ti ama iti Affidavit of Admission of Paternity iti  sabali a dokumento, ken iti panangadmitir wenno panangbigbig ti ama babaen ti bukodna a surat nga anakna ti maysa nga illegitimate child.

Ngem masapul a maammuam, Miriam, nga iti paglintegan,  nupay palubosanna ti illegitimate child nga usarenna ti apeliedo ti amana, saanna a balbaliwan ti estado wenno kondision ti ubing manipud iti illegitimate child iti legitimate child. Ngarud, no kayatmo nga agbalinto a legitimate child ni Michelangelo, agpakasarkayonto ken James ken aramidenyo ti umno a proseso wenno ti makunkuna a legitimation process.

Iti kaso ni Michelangelo, no dumtengton ti aldaw a pannakayanakna maisagananto ti Certificate of Live Birth-na ket iti likud daytoy a Certificate of Live Birth, adda  Affidavit of Admission of Paternity wenno Affidavit of Acknowledgement a makompleto ti detalyena a kas kadagiti sumaganad: ti panangadmitir wenno panangbigbig ni James nga isu ket ama wenno biological father ni Michelangelo, ti kompleto a nagan ni Michelangelo, aldaw ken lugar ti panakayanak ni Michelangelo, admitiren wenno bigbigen ni James nga isuna ket saan a sikakasar kenka iti tiempo a pannakayanak ni Michelangelo, admitiren wenno bigbigen ni James ti relasion wenno koneksionna ken ni Michelangelo nga isuda ket agama  (filiation), palubosan ni James nga usaren ni Michelangelo ti apeliedona ken masapul a pirmaan ken bigbigenna nga usto daytoy nga affidavit-na. s

Saan met nga obligado ti maysa nga illegitimate child a kas ken ni Michelangelo nga usarenna ti apeliedo ti amana a kas ken ni James. Kuna ngarud ti Republic Act No. 9255, “an illegitimate child may use the surname of the father” a kayatna a sawen, directory laeng daytoy, saan nga obligatory. Daytoy ti kuna ti Korte Suprema iti desisionna iti kaso ni Grace M. Grande v Patricio T. Antonio (G.R. No. 206248, 18 February 2014), a ti ama wenno ina ket saan nga inikkan ti linteg a mangidiktar iti apeliedo ti maysa nga illegitimate child gapu ta ti illegitimate child ket adda karbenganna a mangusar wenno saan a mangusar iti apeliedo ti amana. Daytoy nga illegitimate child ket mabalinnanto ti agpili no ti apeliedo ti amana wenno ti inana ti usarenna inton makapagdesision a bukbukodna. Ngem para kaniak a maysa, napintas met ti planoyo ken James nga ipasurotna ni Michelangelo iti apeliedona.

Liberal ti baro a paglintegan a Republic Act No. 9255. Uray nayanak ti maysa nga illegitimate child iti Filipinas wenno iti abroad (ballasiw-taaw), mabalinna latta nga aramaten wenno usaren ti apeliedo ti amana basta binigbig ti amana babaen dagiti ania man a dokumento a nadakamat iti ngato.

Uray dagiti nayanak nga illegimate children sakbay ti Agosto 3, 1988 a panagepekto ti Family Code of the Philippines a mangus-usar iti apeliedo ti inada ket mabalindan nga usaren ti apeliedo ti amada basta binigbig ti amada babaen dagiti ania man a maiparbeng a dokumento a nadakamat iti ngato.   No makita ti Local Civil Registry a kompleto dagiti dokumento, ikabilna wenno irehistrona ti apeliedo ti ama iti Certificate of Live Birth iti maysa nga illegitimate child a binigbig dayta nga ama.

Kasano met ti middle name ti ubing? Saan a dagus a mairaman ti middle name ti illegitimate child. Masapul ti makunkuna a Supplemental Report wenno nayon a report tapno maikkan iti middle name ti ubing a kadawyan ket ti middle name ti inana.

Masapul met a mangpirma ti ina ti illegitimate child  iti makunkuna nga Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father (AUSF)  kas pammaneknek nga ipalubosna ti panangusar ti anakna iti apeliedo ti ama daytoy.

Dagiti sumaganad a paglintegan wenno pagannurotan ket tratarenna dagiti imbagak kenka:

“Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Article 176. Illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall be under the parental authority of their mother and shall be entitled to support in conformity with this Code. However, illegitimate children may use the surname of their father if their filiation has been expressly recognized by the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or when an admission in a public document or private handwritten instrument is made by the father. Provided, the father has the right to institute an action before the regular courts to prove non-filiation during his lifetime. The legitime of each illegitimate child shall consist of one-half of the legitime of a legitimate child.

Under Philippine Republic Act No. 9255, “An Act Allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surname of the Father, Amending the Family Code of the Philippines,” an illegitimate child may use the surname of the father if acknowledged at the back of the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) or acknowledged in a separate public document (the Affidavit of Admission of Paternity or AAP) or in a private handwritten instrument (PHI). The law allows the child to use the father’s surname but does not change the status of the child from illegitimate to legitimate.

The Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father (AUSF) is executed by the mother or the guardian of the child that allows the use of the surname of the father.

The misdeeds or oversights of parents cannot and should not disgrace their children.

It is for this basic precept that Philippine laws have granted non-marital children (formerly called “illegitimate” children) a myriad of rights akin to — if not totally similar — those of marital children (formerly called “legitimate” children). Notably, their appellation has been changed to a more appropriate description of their parents’ civil status at the time of their birth rather than the birth’s supposed “legitimacy.”

Non-marital children are now permitted to carry their father’s surname upon compliance with requirements set by law and related regulations.

While Article 176 of the Family Code of the Philippines provides non-marital children’s successional rights, Republic Act 9255, which took effect in 2004, boosted these rights by allowing them to use their father’s surname if their filiation has been recognized by the latter in accordance with some preconditions.

The Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA, consequently, revised the implementing rules of RA 9255 in 2016 to better effectuate the wisdom of the law, especially considering the ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Grace M. Grande v Patricio T. Antonio (G.R. No. 206248, 18 February 2014), which states that neither the father nor the mother is granted the right to dictate the surname of their non-marital children. Instead, the law gives non-marital children the right to decide whether or not they will use their father’s surname.

Just recently, PSA issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-14, which further revised the implementing rules, providing that prevailing rules shall have retroactive effect for all births occurring within or outside the Philippines where a Filipino is concerned.

The Office of the Civil Registrar General also amended the same implementing rules through Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2023, so that existing laws and regulations about the use of non-marital children of the surname of their father shall apply to those born during the effectivity of the Family Code of the Philippines or from 3 August 1988 with (a) unregistered births and (b) registered births, where non-marital children use the surname of their mother.

Considering these changes, should non-marital children prefer to use the surname of their father, there must exist an express acknowledgment by the latter of the former through any of the following: (a) affidavit of admission of paternity found at the back of the child’s certificate of live birth; (b) affidavit of acknowledgment; or (c) private handwritten instrument signed by the father with his express recognition of the child as his for the rest of his life. These documents shall be filed before the local civil registry where the birth is registered or, in case of unregistered births, where the child is born. Absent the express acknowledgment from the father, the non-martial child cannot use the father’s surname.

How, then, is an admission of paternity filed?

The father, mother, or non-marital child of legal age may file the affidavit of admission of paternity or affidavit of acknowledgement.

In the case of a private handwritten instrument, the same should be personally filed by the father. If the father is deceased, the private handwritten instrument may be filed by the non-marital child, who is of legal age, or the non-marital child’s mother.

Should the local civil registry find the requirements complete and without issue after review, the non-marital child’s new surname shall be annotated on the existing certificate of live birth; it shall not be supplied on the portion intended for the last name.

The above rules do not include the assignment of a middle name for a non-marital child. An additional Supplemental Report should be filed to supply the child’s middle name on the certificate of live birth.

It must be remembered, however, that the non-marital children’s use of the surname of their father does not necessarily make them marital children in legal contemplation — it plainly permits them to publicly use such surname, e.g., in their identity documents like passport, school and employment records, and other documents. There is a separate process for the conversion of a child’s status from non-marital to marital called legitimation.

Sapay koma, Miriam, ta nalawlawaganka a nasayaat mainaig iti saludsodmo. –Apo Abogado

(Palagip: Kadagiti legal a saludsodyo, ag-e-mail-kayo ken ni Apo Abogado iti [email protected] wenno saan, mabalinyo nga ipatulod babaen ti koreo iti: Apo Abogado, Bannawag Magazine, Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., Muralla cor. Recoletos Sts., Intramuros, Manila. Ilanad met iti suratyo ti adres ken numero ti selponyo. Saan a maipablaak ti pudno a nagan ti nagsurat malaksid no adda pammalubos daytoy.)

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