Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence > Year 2019 > February 2019 Decisions > G.R. No. 213346 - REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, PETITIONER, v. MILLER OMANDAM UNABIA, RESPONDENT.:

This Petition for Review on Certiorari¹ assails the June 27, 2014 Decision² of the Court of Appeals (CA) which denied the appeal in CA-G.R. CV No. 02755-MIN and affirmed the November 23,2009 Decision³ of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Cagayan de Oro City, Branch 17, in Special Proceeding No. 2009-018.

Factual Antecedents

On February 11,2009, respondent Miller Omandam Unabia filed before the RTC Special Proceeding No. 2009-018, which is a "Petition for Correction of Entries on the Birth Certificate of Mellie Umandam Unabia,"⁴ claiming that his Birth Certificate⁵ contained errors in that the name entered therein was "Mellie Umandam Unabia", when it should properly have been written as "Miller Omandam Unabia"; that the gender was erroneously entered as "female" instead of "male"; and that his father's middle initial was erroneously indicated as "U" when it should have been "O". In support of the petition, respondent attached the following documentary evidence to the petition:

1. Medical Certificate;

2. Police Clearance;

3. Voter's Identification;

4. Baptismal Certificate;

5. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance;

6. Transcript of Records;

7. Mother's Birth Certificate; and

8. Father's Birth Certificate.

After satisfying the jurisdictional requirements, trial ensued. Respondent took the witness stand as the lone witness. To support the claim for change of entry as to gender, a Medical Certificate was presented which was supposedly issued by a physician of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Dr. Andresul A. Labis (Dr. Labis), which certificate stated that respondent was "phenotypically male"; however, the physician was not presented in court to testify on his findings and identify the document.

Ruling of the Regional Trial Court

On November 23, 2009, the RTC issued its Decision, decreeing as follows:

Petitioner Miller Omandam Unabia testified during the hearing of the case as follows:

[T]hat he was born on August 11, 1980 in Claveria, Misamis Oriental to Spouses Magno O. Unabia and Rica Omandam Unabia. The fact of his birth [was] duly registered in the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

When petitioner secured a copy of his Birth Certificate, he was surprised that his name was registered as MELLIE Umandam Unabia instead of Miller Omandam Unabia, the sex as Female instead of Male, and the middle name of his father which was entered as "O" instead of "U" (Exh. "A" - "A-3"). That from the time the petitioner was born, he was known as Miller Omandam Unabia, a Male and not a Female. This can be shown from his dealings and transactions. To prove such fact, petitioner presented his Baptismal Certificate to show that he was christened as Miller Omandam Unabia (Exh. "E" - "E-1"). Petitioner also presented his Official Transcript of Records issued by the Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology to show that he was known as Miller O. Unabia (Exh. "G" - "G-1"). His voter's identification showed that his name was registered as Miller O. Unabia. There was no instance that petitioner used the name Mellie Umandam Unabia

Likewise, to bolster his claim that he is a male and not a female, petitioner subjected himself to a medical examination with the Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Cagayan de Oro City. The Medical Certificate showed that petition [sic] is phenotypically male (Exh "B" - "B-1"). Also[,] petitioner presented clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Villanueva Police Station to show that he has no derogatory record on file in said Offices, (Exhs. "C" - "C-1"; "F" - "F-1").

The Birth Certificate of petitioner's mother Rica Guia Omandam and that of his father Magno Olaybar Unabia were presented to show proof that the spelling of the middle name of petitioner is "O" and not "U". It was also shown that the middle name of his father is "O" from Olaybar and not "U", (Exhs. "H" [-] "H-1"; "I" [-] "I-1").

The Court, after going over the pieces of evidence presented by petitioner finds merit [with] the petition. It has been clearly established by petitioner that there are erroneous entries in his birth [certificate]. That since petitioner was born, he was a ma[l]e. He is also known to his friends and relatives as Miller Omandam Unabia. His middle name spelled as an 'O' and not a 'U'. As shown from the birth certificate of the father indeed the latter's middle name is an 'O'.

There is a need to correct the erroneous entries in the birth certificate of petitioner to avoid confusion to his person. The correction is also necessary to reveal his true identity as not to create doubt [as] to his person.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Registrar of the Office of the Local Civil Registry of Claveria, Misamis Oriental is hereby ordered to correct the following erroneous entries in the birth certificate of herein petitioner Miller Omandam Unabia, to wit:

1) To change his name from Mel[l]ie [to] MILLER;

2) To correct the first letter of his middle name from 'U' to 'O', so that the same be read as OMANDAM;

3) To change his sex from Female to MALE;

4) To convert the middle initial of his father from letter 'U' to letter 'O'.

SO ORDERED.⁶

Ruling of the Court of Appeals

Petitioner appealed before the CA, arguing that respondent failed to state a valid ground for change of name; that the petition failed to state the aliases by which respondent was known; that respondent failed to exhaust administrative remedies; and that respondent failed to present the physician who allegedly issued the medical certificate stating that respondent was male.

On June 27, 2014, the CA issued the assailed Decision, which contains the following pronouncement:

Under Republic Act 10172, which amended R.A. 9048, the city or municipal registrar or the consul general, as the case may be, is now authorized to correct clerical or typographical errors in the day and month, in the date of birth or sex of a person appearing in the civil register without need of a judicial order. Section 1 thereof provides:

SECTION 1. Authority to Correct Clerical or Typographical Error and Change of First Name or Nickname. - No entry in a civil register shall be changed or corrected without a judicial order, except for clerical or typographical errors and change of first name or nickname, the day and month in the date of birth or sex of a person where it is patently clear that there was a clerical or typographical error or mistake in the entry, which can be corrected or changed by the concerned city or municipal civil registrar or consul general in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations.

Accordingly, its implementing rules provide for the form and content of the petition:

Rule 6. Form and content of the petition.

Insofar as applicable, Rule 8 of Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2001 shall be observed. In addition, as supporting documents to the petition, the following shall be submitted:

6.1. Earliest school record or earliest school documents;

6.2. Medical records;

6.3. Baptismal certificate and other documents issued by religious authorities;

6.4. A clearance or a certification that the owner of the document has no pending administrative, civil or criminal case, or no criminal record, which shall be obtained from the following:

6.4.1. Employer, if employed;

6.4.2. National Bureau of Investigation; and

6.4.3. Philippine National Police.

6.5. The petition for the correction of sex and day and/or month in the date of birth shall include the affidavit of publication from the publisher and a copy of the newspaper clipping; and

6.6. In case of correction of sex, the petition shall be supported with a medical certification issued by an accredited government physician that the petitioner has not undergone sex change or sex transplant.

In this case, the appellee was able to present all the necessary documents to support the allegations in his petition. To prove that there was a clerical error in his name, appellee formally offered as evidence the following:

a. Transcript of Records from Misamis Oriental School of Agriculture and Technology;

b. Birth Certificate;

c. Baptismal Certificate;

d. Police Clearance;

e. NBI Clearance;

f. Voter's ID;

g. Mother's Birth Certificate;

h. Father's Birth Certificate.

Meanwhile, to prove that there was a clerical error in his gender, appellee presented a medical certificate issued by Dr. Andresul A. Labis of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

A scrutiny of the foregoing evidence reveals that appellee was actually using the name Miller Omandam Unabia and not Millie [sic] Umandam Unabia, as that reflected in his birth certificate. The similarity between "Miller" and "Millie" [sic] and "Omandam" and "Umandam" undoubtedly caused confusion in its entry in the birth certificate of the appellee. Moreover, a reading of the medical certificate shows that appellee is phenotypically male. Evidently, it can readily be deduced that there were clerical errors in the aforesaid entries necessitating its rectification. Section 2(3) of R.A. 10172 defines 'clerical of [sic] typographical error' as:

(3) 'Clerical or typographical error' refers to a mistake committed in the performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as misspelled name or misspelled place of birth, mistake in the entry of day and month in the date of birth or the sex of the person or the like, which is visible to the eyes or obvious to the understanding, and can be corrected or changed only by reference to other existing record or records: Provided, however, That no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, or status of the petitioner.

All told, the Court finds that the court a quo committed no reversible error in ordering the correction of entries in the birth certificate of herein appellee.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the instant appeal is DENIED. The Decision dated November 23, 2009 of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 17, Cagayan de Oro City, in Special Proceeding No. 2009-018 is AFFIRMED.

SO ORDERED.⁷

Thus, the instant Petition.

Issues

In a November 14, 2016 Resolution,⁸ this Court resolved to give due course to the Petition, which contains the following sole assignment of error:

THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED ON A QUESTION OF LAW WHEN IT AFFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT GRANTING UNABIA'S PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES.⁹

Petitioner's Arguments

In praying that the assailed RTC and CA dispositions be set aside and that, instead, the case be dismissed for lack of merit, petitioner pleads in its Petition and Reply:¹⁰ (1) that the CA erred in ruling for respondent and applying Republic Act No. 9048¹¹ (RA 9048), as amended by Republic Act No. 10172¹² (RA 10172), since said laws apply only to administrative corrections of entries, and not to judicial correction of entries in the civil registry, the latter being covered by Rule 108 of the Rules of Court;¹³ (2) that even assuming that RA 9048, as amended, applied in respondent's case, still respondent failed to comply with its provisions, in that the medical certificate submitted did not specifically certify that respondent "has not undergone sex change or sex transplant" as required by Section 5¹⁴ of the law and the physician who supposedly issued it was not presented in court in order that his qualifications may be established and so that he may identify the medical certificate itself; (3) that an individual's true gender is not determinable by simple visual observation and examination; (4) that the State's failure to object to the admissibility of the medical certificate does not automatically give the same evidentiary or probative weight, as admissibility is different from weight; (5) that respondent's medical certificate cannot stand on its own as it was not established and proved as a public document; (6) that without the required proof, it cannot simply be assumed that respondent is male; (7) that the correction of respondent's name from "Mellie" to "Miller" does not involve a simple clerical error contemplated by Rule I 08 of the Rules of Court, as said rule refers only to changes or corrections of clerical, typographical, and other innocuous errors and obviously misspelled names; (8) that the change of name sought by respondent is a substantial one, as the name "Mellie" is not a misspelling of "Miller", and the two names are entirely different from each other; (9) that there is no compelling reason to change respondent's name, as was laid down in Republic v. Mercadera¹⁵ and Republic v. Coseteng-Magpayo;¹⁶ and, (10) that respondent likewise failed to comply with the requirement of stating the petitioner's real name and known aliases in the petition for correction of entries filed with the trial court.

Respondent's Arguments

Respondent, on the other hand, simply counters in the Comment¹⁷ that the CA was correct in its pronouncements; that the errors sought to be corrected were simple typographical and spelling errors; that the evidence on record supported the pronouncements of the RTC and the CA; that the trial court was in the best position to observe the true gender of respondent; that together with the medical certificate submitted, there was no doubt as to respondent's gender; and that petitioner was deemed to have waived its objections to the admissibility of the said medical certificate, as it failed to object to the same when it was offered in evidence below.

Our Ruling

The Court DENIES the petition.

When Special Proceeding No. 2009-018 was filed in 2009, the governing law then was the original, unamended RA 9048. There was no provision then for the administrative correction or change of clerical or typographical errors or mistakes in the civil registry entries of the day and month in the date of birth or sex of individuals, but only clerical or typographical errors and change of first names or nicknames. Administrative corrections or changes relating to the date of birth or sex of individuals was authorized only with the passage in 2012 of RA 10172. Even then, the amendments under RA 10172 should still apply, the law being remedial in nature. Moreover, under Section 11 of RA 9048, retroactive application is allowed "insofar as it does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights in accordance with the Civil Code and other laws."

Petitioner questions the Medical Certificate issued by Dr. Labis, Medical Officer III of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center under the Department of Health, claiming that it failed to include a certification that respondent "has not undergone sex change or sex transplant" as required by Section 5 of RA 9048, as amended, and that Dr. Labis was not presented in court in order that his qualifications may be established and so that he may identify and authenticate the medical certificate. However, the said Medical Certificate is a public document, the same having been issued by a public officer in the performance of official duty; as such, it constitutes prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated. Under Section 23, Rule 132 of the Rules of Court, "[d]ocuments consisting of entries in public records made in the performance of a duty by a public officer are prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated. All other public documents are evidence, even against a third person, of the fact which gave rise to their execution and of the date of the latter."

There was therefore no need to further identify and authenticate Dr. Labis' Medical Certificate. "A public document, by virtue of its official or sovereign character, or because it has been acknowledged before a notary public (except a notarial will) or a competent public official with the formalities required by law, or because it is a public record of a private writing authorized by law, is self-authenticating and requires no further authentication in order to be presented as evidence in court."¹⁸

On the other hand, while the trial court did not seem to make any material observation in its pronouncement regarding respondent's physical appearance or otherwise to support its finding that the latter was male, the record will support a finding that respondent was indeed male. In his photograph attached to the record, it will be observed particularly that respondent's Adam's apple - or, in medical terms, his laryngeal prominence - was quite evident and prominent. This can only indicate that respondent is male, because anatomically, only men possess an Adam's apple.

As for petitioner's argument that the medical certificate failed to specifically certify that respondent "has not undergone sex change or sex transplant" as required by law, suffice it to state that this is no longer required with the certification by Dr. Labis that respondent is "phenotypically male", meaning that respondent's entire physical, physiological, and biochemical makeup - as determined both genetically and environmentally - is male, which thus presupposes that he did not undergo sex reassignment. In other words, as determined genetically and environmentally, from conception to birth, respondent's entire being, from the physical, to the physiological, to the biochemical - meaning that all the chemical processes and substances occurring within respondent - was undoubtedly male. He was conceived and born male, he looks male, and he functions biologically as a male.

Thus, in respondent's case, the Court must do away with the requirement of no-sex change certification. The same is true with respondent's failure to include his known aliases in his petition, simply because there appear to be none at all; the bottom line issue is his gender as entered in the public record, not really his name.

Nonetheless, it must be laid down as a rule that when there is a medical finding that the petitioner in a case for correction of erroneous entry as to gender is phenotypically male or female, the no-sex change or transplant certification becomes mere surplusage.

Finally, suffice it to state that, as correctly declared by the CA, respondent was actually using the name Miller Omandam Unabia; that "Miller" and "Mellie" and "Omandam" and "Umandam" were confusingly similar; and that respondent's medical certificate shows that he is phenotypically male. The CA thus properly held that respondent's birth certificate contained clerical errors in its entries necessitating its rectification.¹⁹

Having disposed of the case in the foregoing manner, the other issues raised by the parties are deemed irrelevant and need not be passed upon. As fur as the Court is concerned, it has been satisfactorily shown that indeed, there have been serious errors with respect to specific entries in respondent's birth record - errors that urgently need to be rectified with alacrity, if justice is to be served.

WHEREFORE, the Petition is DENIED. The June 27, 2014 Decision the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 02755-MIN is AFFIRMED in toto.

SO ORDERED.

Bersamin, C. J., Gesmundo, and Carandang, JJ., concur.
Leonen,^* J., see separate concurring opinion.

Endnotes:

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^* Per Raffle dated November 26, 2018.

¹Rollo, pp. 9-25.

² Id. at 29-34; penned by Associate Justice Oscar V. Badelles and concurred in by Associate Justices Romulo V. Borja and Pablito A. Perez.

³ Id. at 26-27; penned by Presiding Judge Florencia D. Sealana-Abbu.

⁴ Id. at 119-123.

⁵ Id. at 124.

⁶ Id. at 26-27.

⁷ Id. at 32-34.

⁸ Id. at 89-90.

⁹ Id. at 13.

¹⁰ Id. at 81-87.

¹¹ AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OR THE CONSUL GENERAL TO CORRECT A CLERICAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN AN ENTRY AND/OR CHANGE OF FIRST NAME OR NICKNAME IN THE CIVIL REGISTER WITHOUT NEED OF A JUDICIAL ORDER, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLES 376 AND 412 OF THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES. Approved March 22, 2001.

¹² AN ACT FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OR THE CONSUL GENERAL TO CORRECT CLERICAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN THE DAY AND MONTH IN THE DATE OF BIRTH OR SEX OF A PERSON APPEARING IN THE CIVIL REGISTER WITHOUT NEED OF A JUDICIAL ORDER, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED NINETY FORTY-EIGHT. Approved August 15, 2012.

¹³ CANCELLATION OR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRY.

¹⁴ SEC. 5. Form and Contents of the Petition. - The petition for correction of a clerical or typographical error, or for change of first name or nickname, as the case may be, shall be in the form of an affidavit, subscribed and sworn to before any person authorized by law to administer oaths. The affidavit shall set forth facts necessary to establish the merits of the petition and shall show affirmatively that the petitioner is competent to testify to the matters stated. The petitioner shall state the particular erroneous entry or entries, which are sought to be corrected and/or the change sought to be made.

The petition shall be supported with the following documents:

(1) A certified true machine copy of the certificate or of the page of the registry book containing the entry or entries sought to be corrected or changed;

(2) At least two (2) public or private documents showing the correct entry or entries upon which the correction or change shall be based; and

(3) Other documents which the petitioner or the city or municipal civil registrar or the consul general may consider relevant and necessary for the approval of the petition.

No petition for correction of erroneous entry concerning the date of birth or the sex of a person shall be entertained except if the petition is accompanied by earliest school record or earliest school documents such as, but not limited to, medical records, baptismal certificate and other documents issued by religious authorities; nor shall any entry involving change of gender corrected except if the petition is accompanied by a certification issued by an accredited government physician attesting to the fact that the petitioner has not undergone sex change or sex transplant. The petition for change of first name or nickname, or for correction of erroneous entry concerning the day and month in the date of birth or the sex of a person, as the case may be, shall be published at least once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.

Furthermore, the petitioner shall submit a certification from the appropriate law [enforcements agencies] that he has no pending case or no criminal record.

The petition and its supporting papers shall be filed in three (3) copies to be distributed as follows: first copy to the concerned city or municipal civil registrar, or the consul general; second copy to the Office of the Civil Registrar General; and third copy to the petitioner. (Emphasis supplied)

¹⁵ 652 Phil. 195 (2010).

¹⁶ 656 Phil. 550 (2011).

¹⁷Rollo, pp. 72-78.

¹⁸Patula v. People, 685 Phil. 376, 397 (2012).

¹⁹Rollo, pp. 33-34.

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LEONEN, J.:

I concur in the result that the Petition should be denied. The erroneous entries in respondent Miller Omandam Unabia's birth certificate must be rectified.

I

There is no iota of doubt that respondent was conceived and born male.¹ However, to prevent confusion, certain clarifications must be made.

The terms "sex" and "gender" refer to two (2) different ideas having vast differences. These cannot be used interchangeably. Sex is a biological concept, while gender is a social concept.²

On one hand, sex "refers to the biological distinctions between males and females,"³ and is based primarily on a person's capability to reproduce.⁴ It "encompasses those that are biologically determined."⁵ On the other hand, gender pertains to the "social elaboration of biological sex."⁶ It highlights "the socially constructed differences between men and women"⁷ influenced by the different norms and standards of societies, varying from one society to the other.⁸

Determining a person's sex mainly depends on "a combination of anatomical, endocrinal[,] and chromosomal features."⁹ "Chromosomes are the structures that carry genes which in turn transmit hereditary characteristics from parents to offspring."¹⁰

Ordinarily, humans are born with 46 chromosomes,¹¹ broken down into 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes and another pair called the sex chromosomes.¹² In most women, the combination of their chromosomes usually comprises 46XX; in most men, their chromosomes usually consist of 46XY.¹³

However, research suggests that the dichotomy of the chromosomal combinations of men and women are not the same in all individuals.¹⁴ Some individuals are born with only one (1) sex chromosome (45X or 45Y), while some are born with three (3) or more sex chromosomes (47XXX, 47XYY, or 47XXY).¹⁵

The chromosomal combinations of men and women, which are used as basis to determine one's sex, are different in some individuals.¹⁶ One may be born with 46XX chromosomes but is considered male. Another may have 46XY chromosomes but is born female. One's sex is not limited to a customary combination but is subject to a range of chromosome complements and phenotypic variations.¹⁷

Conversely, gender is the result of the norms and standards imposed by society. It is a changing concept that differs in every society. While most individuals are biologically born as male or female, the behavioral standard enforced in a given society affects one's gender identity.¹⁸ Exactly how one is taught how to interact with others of the same or opposite sex usually defines one's gender identity.¹⁹

In its Petition, the Republic of the Philippines assailed the Decisions of the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals, which ordered the correction of respondent's sex from male to female. It argued that an individual's true gender is not determined by a simple visual observation and examination.²⁰

Respondent countered that the evidence on record supported the findings of the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals. In support of his contention, he submitted a Medical Certificate,²¹ which certified him to be "phenotypically male."²²

The majority noted that based on respondent's photograph attached to the record, his Adam's apple was quite evident and prominent, which can only mean that respondent is male, because anatomically, only men possess an Adam's apple.²³

I regret that I cannot agree with the factual premise for determining the biological sex of respondent.

Both men and women have Adam's apple. It is not limited to men. Granting that the Adam's apple is more prominent in some men, this is merely caused by differing hormonal levels.²⁴

An Adam's apple "is the colloquial term used to describe what is officially named the laryngeal prominence of the thyroid cartilage."²⁵ It is caused by an increased amount of testosterone,²⁶ a hormone "involved in regulating secondary male characteristics"²⁷ such as the Adam's apple.²⁸ While testosterone is ordinarily associated with men,²⁹ "women ... also have naturally occurring testosterone[.]"³⁰ Despite men having a higher amount of testosterone, the function of an Adam's apple in both women and men is just the same: to protect the vocal cords immediately behind it.³¹

Accordingly, it is erroneous to conclude that only men can possess an Adam's apple. A woman has an Adam's apple, though generally less protruding than her male counterpart.³² It is a logical fallacy to attach the category "male" to the size and shape of the Adam's apple. It is a false binary.

II

I, however, agree with the majority that Republic Act No. 10172, being remedial in nature, can retroactively apply here.

Settled is the rule that procedural laws have a retroactive effect, but may only be applied to cases or actions pending and undetermined when they were enacted.³³

Remedial laws or procedural laws are statutes concerning modes of procedure³⁴ "designed to facilitate the adjudication of cases."³⁵ These laws "do not create new or take away vested rights, but only operate in furtherance of the remedy or confirmation of such rights[.]"³⁶ Thus, remedial laws do not fall within the proscription against retroactive operation of statutes.³⁷

Republic Act No. 9048 was the governing law when respondent filed his Petition.³⁸ Under this law, the concerned city or municipal civil registrar or consul general may administratively correct or change clerical or typographical errors,³⁹ provided that it does not involve a change in the nationality, age, status, or sex of the petitioner.⁴⁰

While respondent's appeal was pending before the Court of Appeals, Republic Act No. 10172 was enacted into law. Republic Act No. 10172 amended Republic Act No. 9048 in the sense that clerical errors regarding one's sex may now be administratively corrected.⁴¹

In its Decision, the Court of Appeals applied Republic Act No. 10172 and ruled that respondent had presented all the necessary documents to prove that there was a clerical error regarding his sex.⁴²

The Court of Appeals correctly applied Republic Act No. 10172. As a procedural law, it neither creates nor eliminates vested rights. Instead, it merely reinforces and confirms people's right to have the entries in their birth certificates corrected. It reaffirms their right to remove any cloud of doubt on their identity.

Moreover, Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172, specifically states that its provisions shall have a retroactive effect as long as it does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights in accordance with the Civil Code and other laws.⁴³

III

As a final note, a review of the pertinent laws and rules would reveal that the entries in a person's birth certificate were never meant to be set in stone. The procedure in changing the entries in a birth certificate is not unprecedented. In several cases, this Court has had the opportunity to decide on cases involving changes in the entry of a person's birth certificate.⁴⁴

This fundamental desire to change and correct one's entry in his or her birth certificate is born from the need to be identified as an individual. The entries in one's birth certificate separate him or her from others. The entries, such as the name and sex, as indicated in one's birth certificate, are considered as markers of one's identity. To ensure that an individual's sex is aligned with his or her identity, one undergoes the process of correcting his or her sex, as entered in his or her birth certificate.

Perhaps in the nearest future, when our society, as represented by our constitutional organs, may become more enlightened, the binary male or female may be reassessed. Understanding that sex may be a continuum interacting with gender as another continuum may assist to identify ourselves better, devoid of the stereotypes imposed by a patriarchal society.

Even the objective of being identified as regards to biological sex may become superseded with the changing of times. For instance, there has been a steady rise of sex reassignment surgeries being performed all across the globe.

Sex reassignment or gender-affirming surgery⁴⁵ "is a medical treatment intended to effect change to a person's sex. It may include surgery and hormonal treatments designed to alter a person's gender."⁴⁶ As more individuals undergo sex reassignment, changing the sexes in their birth certificates is inevitable. Thus, sex may cease to be believed as permanent and immutable. It may already be an impractical and obsolete marker of identity. Rather than identify, it may become a forced category with all its attendant burdens.

Accordingly, I vote to DENY the Petition.

Endnotes:

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¹Ponencia, p. 9.

²Susan E. Short, Yang Claire Yang and Tania M. Jenkins, Sex, Gender, Genetics, and Health, American Journal of Public Health (2013), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786754/?fbclid=IwAR3xZYKIGNkbta5wkVelbutQOW9rNg2AFCzeBAb5TArMmtPO_7Sht-IIaDs. Accessed February 19, 2019.

³ Id.

⁴ Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet, Language and Gender (2013), available at https://web.stanford.edu/-eckert/PDF/Chap1.pdf, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁵Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁶ Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet, Language and Gender (2013), available at https://web.stanford.edu/-eckert/PDF/Chap1.pdf, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁷ Susan E. Short, Yang Claire Yang and Tania M. Jenkins, Sex, Gender, Genetics, and Health, American Journal of Public Health (2013), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786754/?fbclid=IwAR3xZYKIGNkbta5wkVelbutQOW9rNg2AFCzeBAb5TArMmtPO_7Sht-IIaDs. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁸Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁹ Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet, Language and Gender (2013), available at https://web.stanford.edu/-eckert/PDF/Chap1.pdf, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁰Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹¹Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹² Susan E. Short, Yang Claire Yang and Tania M. Jenkins, Sex, Gender, Genetics, and Health, American Journal of Public Health (2013), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786754/?fbclid=IwAR3xZYKIGNkbta5wkVelbutQOW9rNg2AFCzeBAb5TArMmtPO_7Sht-IIaDs. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹³Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁴ Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet, Language and Gender (2013), available at https://web.stanford.edu/-eckert/PDF/Chap1.pdf, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁵Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁶ Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet, Language and Gender (2013), available at https://web.stanford.edu/-eckert/PDF/Chap1.pdf, 2. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁷Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁸Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

¹⁹Gender and Genetics, World Health Organization, available at https://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁰Ponencia, pp. 6-7.

²¹ Id. at 7.

²² Id. at 9.

²³ Id. at 8.

²⁴ Thomas H. Fitzpatrick, Marco A. Siccardi, Anatomy, Head and Neck, Adam's Apple, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535354/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁵ Thomas H. Fitzpatrick, Marco A. Siccardi, Anatomy, Head and Neck, Adam's Apple, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535354/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁶ K. V. S. Hari Kumar, Anurag Garg, N. S. Ajai Chandra, S. P. Singh, and Rakesh Datta, Voice and endocrinology, Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (20I6), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5040035/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁷ George N. Nassar, Stephen W. Leslie, Physiology, Testosterone, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526128/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁸ Thomas H. Fitzpatrick, Marco A. Siccardi, Anatomy, Head and Neck, Adam's Apple, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535354/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

²⁹ Vineet Tyagi, MD, Michael Scordo, MD, Richard S. Yoon, MD, Frank A. Liporace, MD, and Loren Wissner Greene, MD, MA, Revisiting the role of testosterone: Are we missing something?, Reviews on Urology, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5434832/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

³⁰ Sari M. Van Anders, Jeffrey Steiger, and Katherine L. Goldey, Effects of gendered behavior on testosterone in women and men, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2015), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4653185/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

³¹ Thomas H. Fitzpatrick, Marco A. Siccardi, Anatomy, Head and Neck, Adam's Apple, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535354/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

³² Thomas H. Fitzpatrick, Marco A Siccardi, Anatomy, Head and Neck, Adam's Apple, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2018), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535354/. Accessed February 19, 2019.

³³Zulueta v. Asia Brewery, Inc., 406 Phil. 543 (2001) [Per J. Panganiban, Third Division].

³⁴Frivaldo v. Commission on Elections, 327 Phil. 521 (1996) [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc].

³⁵Land Bank of the Philippines v. Natividad, 497 Phil. 737, 744 (2005) [Per J. Tinga, Second Division].

³⁶Frivaldo v. Commission on Elections, 327 Phil. 521, 557 (1996) [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc].

³⁷Heirs of Divinagracia v. Ruiz, 638 Phil. 639 (2010) [Per J. Carpio, Second Division].

³⁸Ponencia, p. 7.

³⁹ Rep. Act No. 9048 (2001), sec. 1 provides:

SECTION 1. Authority to Correct Clerical or Typographical Error and Change of First Name or Nickname. - No entry in a civil register shall be changed or corrected without a judicial order, except for clerical or typographical errors and change of first name or nickname which can be corrected or changed by the concerned city or municipal civil registrar or consul general in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations.

⁴⁰ Rep. Act No. 9048 (2001), sec. 2(3) provides:

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

....

(3) "Clerical or typographical error" refers to a mistake committed in the performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as misspelled name or misspelled place of birth or the like, which is visible to the eyes or obvious to the understanding, and can be corrected or changed only by reference to other existing record or records: Provided, however, That no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, status or sex of the petitioner.

⁴¹ Republic Act No. 10172 (2012), sec. 2 provides:

SECTION 2. Section 2, paragraph (3) of the Act is likewise amended to read as follows:

SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

....

(3) 'Clerical or typographical error' refers to a mistake committed in the performance of clerical work in writing, copying, transcribing or typing an entry in the civil register that is harmless and innocuous, such as misspelled name or misspelled place of birth, mistake in the entry of day and month in the date of birth or the sex of the person or the like, which is visible to the eyes or obvious to the understanding, and can be corrected or changed only by reference to other existing record or records: Provided, however, That no correction must involve the change of nationality, age, or status of the petitioner.

⁴²Ponencia, pp. 4-5.

⁴³ Rep. Act No. 9048 (2001), as amended by Rep. Act No. 10172 (2012), sec. 11, provides:

SECTION 11. Retroactivity Clause. - This Act shall have retroactive effect insofar as it does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights in accordance with the Civil Code and other laws.

⁴⁴See Silverio v. Republic of the Philippines, 562 Phil. 953 (2007) [Per J. Corona, First Division] and Cagandahan v. Republic, 586 Phil. 637 (2008) [Per J. Quisimbing Second Division].

⁴⁵ Frey JD, Poudrier G, Chiodo MV, Hazen A., An Update on Genital Reconstruction Options for the Female-to-Male Transgender Patient: A Review of the Literature, National Center for Biotechnology Information (2017), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28234856. Accessed February 19, 2019.

⁴⁶ BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY, 9th Ed. (2009), West Publishing Co., p. 1498.