WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Law
Subject: Constitutional law 1 (Topic: Role of Women and Equality of Men and Women)

ANACLETO B. ALANIS VS. COURT OF APPEALS

G.R. No. 216425 November 11, 2020

Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen

FACTS:
Petitioner, Anacleto Ballaho Alanis, filed for petition before the RTC of Zamboanag City 12 to
change his name on his birth certificate to “Abdulhamid Ballaho”. During trial, petitioner
testified that his parents separated when he was five years old and his mother single-handedly
raised him and his siblings. The petitioner presented evidences to support his claim that the
requested change would avoid confusion, however, the petition was denied and dismissed
because the Alanis failed to prove any grounds to warrant a change of name and he is also not
allowed to drop his surname to disregard the surname of his natural and legitimate father.
Petitioner moved for reconsideration, but the RTC denied this in 2008.
Petitioner moved for reconsideration, but the Regional Trial Court denied this in a June 2, 2008
Order.

ISSUES:
1. WON legitimate children have the right to use their mothers' surnames as their surnames.

HELD:
Yes. The trial court's reasoning further encoded patriarchy into our system. If a surname is
significant for identifying a person's ancestry, interpreting the laws to mean that a marital child's
surname must identify only the paternal line renders the mother and her family invisible. This, in
turn, entrenches the patriarchy and with it, antiquated gender roles: the father, as dominant, in
public; and the mother, as a supporter, in private.

RULLING:
The Petition is GRANTED and the Orders of the Regional Trial Court of Zamboanga City,
Branch 12 are REVERSED and SET ASIDE.  
As prayed for in his Petition for Change of Name, petitioner's name is declared to
be ABDULHAMID BALLAHO. Accordingly, the Civil Registrar of Cebu City is DIRECTED to
make the corresponding corrections to petitioner's name, from ANACLETO BALLAHO
ALANIS III to ABDULHAMID BALLAHO.

GEDUQUIO, MARY CLAIRE I. JD-IA, WMSU COL (AY 2022-2023)