MARISSA A. MOSSESGELD, petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS and CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, respondents.

D E C I S I O N
PARDO, J.:
The case is an appeal via certiorari under Rule 45 of the Revised Rules of Court from the decision of the Court of
Appeals
[1]
affirming that of the Regional Trial Court, Pasig, Branch !, dismissing the petition of the putative father, later su"stituted
"# the un$ed mother, to compel the local civil registrar of %andalu#ong, %etro %anila,
[&]
to register the certificate of live "irth of
petitioner's illegitimate child using the surname of the presumed father(
)n *ecem"er &, 1!+!, petitioner %arissa Alfaro %ossesgeld, single, ,1 #ears of age, gave "irth to a "a"# "o# at the %edical
Cit# -eneral .ospital, %andalu#ong, %etro %anila(
[,]
/t $as the third time that she delivered a child(
[4]
The presumed father, one
0lea1ar 2iri"an Calasan, 4& #ears old, a la$#er, married, and a resident of +,& 2an 3ose 2t( -uadalupe 4uevo, %a5ati, %etro
%anila, signed the "irth certificate of the child as the informant, indicating therein the child's first name as 3onathan, middle name as
%ossesgeld, and last name as Calasan( Both the presumed father, 0lea1ar 2( Calasan and the mother %arissa A(
%ossesgeld, accomplished the dorsal side of the certificate of live "irth stating that the information contained therein $ere true and
correct( /n addition, la$#er Calasan e6ecuted an affidavit admitting paternit# of the child(
[5]
)n *ecem"er , 1!+!, due to the refusal of the person in charge at the hospital to placing the presumed father's surname as the
child's surname in the certificate of live "irth, petitioner himself su"mitted the certificate to the office of the local civil registrar of
%andalu#ong, for registration(
)n *ecem"er &+, 1!+!, the municipal treasurer of %andalu#ong, as officer in charge of the office of the local civil registrar,
re7ected the registration on the "asis of Circular 4o( 4, dated )cto"er 11, 1!++, of the Civil Registrar -eneral, providing that under
Article 18 of the 9amil# Code of the Philippines, illegitimate children "orn on or after August ,, 1!++, shall use the surname of their
mother(
[]
)n )cto"er !, 1!!:, la$#er 0lea1ar 2( Calasan personall# $ent to the ;ocal Civil Registrar of %andalu#ong to in<uire a"out the
status of the registration of his illegitimate child's certificate of "irth, "ut $as furnished $ith a cop# of the letter dated 3anuar# 18,
1!!:, of the Civil Registrar -eneral den#ing registration of the certificate of live "irth of petitioner's illegitimate child using the
father's surname, for it is contrar# to la$(
[8]
)n 4ovem"er 8, 1!!:, la$#er 0lea1ar 2( Calasan filed $ith the Regional Trial Court, Pasig, Branch !, a petition
for mandamus to compel the ;ocal Civil Registrar of %andalu#ong, %etro %anila, to register the certificate of live "irth of his alleged
illegitimate son using his surname(
[+]
)n )cto"er &!, 1!!1, the lo$er court denied the petition, ruling that illegitimate children must use the surname of their mothers,
regardless of $hether or not the# had "een ac5no$ledged "# their fathers in the record of "irth(
[!]
)n 4ovem"er &1, 1!!1, petitioner Calasan filed a motion for reconsideration of the denial( /n the meantime, on *ecem"er !,
1!!1, he filed a motion for leave to amend petition and to admit amended petition, su"stituting the child's mother %arissa A(
%ossesgeld as the petitioner(
[1:]
)n 9e"ruar# 11, 1!!&, the lo$er court granted the motion for leave to amend petition(
[11]
.o$ever, on 3une ,, 1!!&, the lo$er
court denied the motion for reconsideration(
/n due time, petitioner interposed an appeal to the Court of Appeals(
)n 3ul# &,, 1!!,, the Court of Appeals rendered decision affirming the 7udgment appealed from(
[1&]
.ence, this petition(
The issue raised is $hether mandamus lies to compel the ;ocal Civil Registrar to register a certificate of live "irth of an
illegitimate child using the alleged father's surname $here the latter admitted paternit#(
=e den# the petition(
Article 18 of the 9amil# Code of the Philippines
[1,]
provides that >illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall "e
under the parental authorit# of their mother, and shall "e entitled to support in conformit# $ith this Code(? This is the rule regardless
of $hether or not the father admits paternit#( Conse<uentl#, the ;ocal Civil Registrar correctl# refused to register the certificate of
live "irth of petitioner's illegitimate child using the surname of the alleged father, even $ith the latter's consent( )f course, the
putative father, though a much married man, ma# legall# adopt his o$n illegitimate child(
[14]
/n case of adoption, the child shall "e
considered a legitimate child of the adopter, entitled to use his surname(
[15]
The 9amil# Code has effectivel# repealed the provisions of Article , of the Civil Code of the Philippines giving a natural child
ac5no$ledged "# "oth parents the right to use the surname of the father( The 9amil# Code has limited the classification of
children to legitimate and illegitimate,
[1]
there"# eliminating the categor# of ac5no$ledged natural children and natural children "#
legal fiction(
[18]
Conse<uentl#, $e rule that mandamus $ill not lie to compel the local civil registrar to register the certificate of live "irth of an
illegitimate child using the father's surname, even $ith the consent of the latter( Mandamus does not lie to compel the performance of
an act prohi"ited "# la$(
WHEREFORE, the Court *04/02 the petition for revie$ on certiorari( =e A99/R% the decision of the Court of Appeals and
that of the Regional Trial Court, Pasig, Branch !, dismissing the petition for mandamus in 2pecial Civil Action 4o( :14(
Costs against petitioner(
SO ORDERED
Silverio v. Republic
October 22, 2007 (GR. No. 174689)

PARTIES:
petto!er: Ro""e# $%c!to &%!te' S#(ero
re'po!)e!t: Rep*b#c o+ t,e P,#pp!e'
-A.TS:
O! No(e"ber 26, 2002, S#(ero /e#) % petto! +or t,e c,%!0e o+ ,' /r't !%"e 1Ro""e# $%c!to2 to 13e#42 %!) ,' 'e5
+ro" "%#e to +e"%#e ! ,' brt, cert/c%te ! t,e RT. o+ 3%!#%, 6r%!c, 8, +or re%'o! o+ ,' 'e5 re%''0!"e!t. 7e
%##e0e) t,%t ,e ' % "%#e tr%!''e5*%#, ,e ' %!%to"c%##4 "%#e b*t t,!8' %!) %ct' #8e % +e"%#e. T,e Re0o!%# Tr%#
.o*rt r*#e) ! +%(or o+ ,", e5p#%!!0 t,%t t ' co!'o!%!ce 9t, t,e pr!cp#e o+ :*'tce %!) e;*%#t4.
T,e Rep*b#c, t,ro*0, t,e OSG, /#e) % petto! +or certor%r ! t,e .o*rt o+ Appe%#' %##e0!0 t,%t t,ere ' !o #%9
%##o9!0 c,%!0e o+ !%"e b4 re%'o! o+ 'e5 %#ter%to!. Petto!er /#e) % reco!')er%to! b*t 9%' )e!e). 7e!ce, t,'
petto!.
ISS<E:
=ON c,%!0e ! !%"e %!) 'e5 ! brt, cert/c%te %re %##o9e) b4 re%'o! o+ 'e5 re%''0!"e!t.
7E>&:
No. A c,%!0e o+ !%"e ' % pr(#e0e %!) !ot % r0,t. It "%4 be %##o9e) ! c%'e' 9,ere t,e !%"e ' r)c*#o*', t%!te)
9t, )',o!or, or )?c*#t to pro!o*!ce or 9rte@ % !c8!%"e ' ,%bt*%##4 *'e)@ or + t,e c,%!0e 9## %(o) co!+*'o!.
T,e petto!erA' b%'' o+ t,e c,%!0e o+ ,' !%"e ' t,%t ,e !te!)' ,' /r't !%"e co"p%tb#e 9t, t,e 'e5 ,e t,o*0,t
,e tr%!'+or"e) ,"'e#+ !to t,r* '*r0er4. T,e .o*rt '%4' t,%t ,' tr*e !%"e )oe' !ot pre:*)ce ," %t %##, %!) !o #%9
%##o9' t,e c,%!0e o+ e!tr4 ! t,e brt, cert/c%te %' to 'e5 o! t,e 0ro*!) o+ 'e5 re%''0!"e!t
FACTS:
Petto! ' +or 3%r% Br0!% Re"o R%##o!C% to *'e ,er "%)e! !%"e 1Re"o2 ! ,er p%''port re!e9%#.
Or0!%# p%''port ' ''*e) *'!0 "%rre) '*r!%"e R%##o!C%.
Petto!er ' "%rre) to -r%!c'co R. R%##o!C%. T,e ,*'b%!) ' %#(e %!) t,e co*p#e ' !et,er
%!!*##e) !or )(orce).
&-A )e!e) re;*e't. O?ce o+ t,e Pre')e!t )e!e) %ppe%# %!) '*b'e;*e!t "oto! +or
reco!')er%to!.
.A )e!e) petto! %!) "oto! +or reco!')er%to!.
ISSUE/S:
=oN % "%rre) 9o"%! c%! *'e ,er "%)e! !%"e ! ,er p%''port re!e9%# %+ter *'!0 ,er "%rre) '*r!%"e
! ,er pror p%''port
RULING:
Petto! )e!e).
RATIO:
Artc#e D70 o+ t,e N..:
A "%rre) 9o"%! "%4 *'e:
(1) 7er "%)e! /r't !%"e %!) '*r!%"e %!) %)) ,er ,*'b%!)A' '*r!%"e, or
(2) 7er "%)e! /r't !%"e %!) ,er ,*'b%!)E' '*r!%"e, or
(D) 7er ,*'b%!)A' +*## !%"e, b*t pre/5!0 % 9or) !)c%t!0 t,%t ',e ' ,' 9+e, '*c, %'
F3r'.F
Petto!er ' !et,er )(orce), 9)o9e), or %!!*##e).
=,e! % 9o"%! 0et' "%rre), ',e )oe' !ot c,%!0e ,er !%"e. O!#4 ,er c(# 't%t*'. A woman i
no! obli"e# !o c$an"e# $er name upon marria"e% $e $a !$e op!ion no! !o. S,e ' !ot
re;*re) to ,%(e :*)c%# %*t,ort4 to )o 'o.
I! t,e pre'e!t c%'e, ,o9e(er, petto!er re;*e'te) to re'*"e ,er "%)e! !%"e ! t,e rep#%ce"e!t
p%''port %r0*!0 t,%t !o #%9 pro,bt' ,er +ro" *'!0 ,er "%)e! !%"e.
A' per t,e r*#e' o+ p%''port re!e9%#, &-A %##o9' 9o"e! to *'e t,er "%)e! !%"e ! p%''port e(e!
+ t,e4 %re "%rre). T,e4 c%! %#'o co!t!*o*'#4 *'e t,er "%)e! !%"e ! re!e9%#' or *'e t,er
"%rre) !%"e t,ere%+ter.
I! t,e pre'e!t c%'e, ,o9e(er, t,e petto!er ' alrea#& uin" $er marrie# name %!) 9%!t' to
re(ert b%c8 to ,er "%)e! !%"e. Petto!er co!'co*'#4 c,o'e to *'e ,er ,*'b%!)A' '*r!%"e
be+ore, ! ,er pre(o*' p%''port %pp#c%to!, %!) !o9 )e're' to re'*"e ,er "%)e! !%"e. I+ 9e
%##o9 petto!erA' pre'e!t re;*e't, )e/!te#4 !ot,!0 pre(e!t' ,er ! t,e +*t*re +ro" re;*e't!0 to
re(ert to t,e *'e o+ ,er ,*'b%!)A' '*r!%"e. S*c, *!:*'t/e) c,%!0e' ! o!eE' !%"e %!) )e!tt4 !
% p%''port, 9,c, ' co!')ere) '*peror to %## ot,er o?c%# )oc*"e!t', c%!!ot be co*!te!%!ce).
Ot,er9'e, *!)*e co!+*'o! %!) !co!''te!c4 ! t,e recor)' o+ p%''port ,o#)er' 9## %r'e. T$u%
'or papor! iuance purpoe% a marrie# woman% uc$ a pe!i!ioner% w$oe marria"e
ubi!% ma& no! c$an"e $er 'amil& name a! will.
T,e ''*%!ce o+ p%''port' ' "pre''e) 9t, p*b#c !tere't. A p%''port ' %! o?c%# )oc*"e!t o+
)e!tt4 %!) !%to!%#t4 ''*e) to % per'o! !te!)!0 to tr%(e# or 'o:o*r! ! +ore0! co*!tre'. It '
''*e) b4 t,e P,#pp!e 0o(er!"e!t to t' ctCe!' re;*e't!0 ot,er 0o(er!"e!t' to %##o9 t' ,o#)er
to p%'' '%+e#4 %!) +ree#4, %!) ! c%'e o+ !ee), to 0(e ,"G,er %) %!) protecto!.