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I got them confused. They tried to educate me but no. They tried and I got tired. Some people think that being traditional is also be the law.

I just want to express my emotions yesterday morning. It almost got me ruining my day but thankfully it didn't.

Let me share what happened.....

I went to the driving school branch where I enrolled for Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) so I can get a student permit and soon enroll for Practical Driving Course. Oh let me post a different article regarding my driving journey, for now I just want to let my emotions out. I hope that's okay with you guys.

Anyway, I got there a little bit late because I need to take care of Lil B first. I need to finish the final assessment that will be conducted in the branch before they release my TDC certification.

After I passed my paper, they immediate prepared my certificate and encoded the information needed like name, birthdate, civil status, age, address, etc. By the way, the name I used when I enrolled was my maiden name because that time I only have IDs with my maiden name. I have mentioned in some of my articles that I lost my IDs and since I am already married, I will need to get new IDs using my married name. Then while encoding the details on their records, our conversation went like this.

Me: Pwede bang gamitin ko na lang yung married name ko kasi nakapagpagawa nako ng bagong ID using my married name. (Can you change my last name to my married name? I already have a new ID using my married name)

Staff: **asked my last name

Me: **told my last name should be (my surname) - (my husband's surname)

Staff: **looked confused* Nako, pwede ba to? (Oh is that allowed?)

Me: Oo ate, pagsasamahin mo lang yung last name ko tska nung asawa ko. (Yes, just add my husband's last name after my name)

Staff: *looks at the other staff* Ma'am pag married na po dapat yung apelyido na ng asawa yung surname nyo, married na po kayo diba. Okaya po yung maiden name nyo pero single po ilalagay ko sa status. (Ma'am if you're already married, you should use your husband's surname too. On the other hand, we can still use your maiden name but I will put single as your civil status)

Me: *just gave a WTF face* Ate yung last name ko lalagyan mo lang ng hyphen tapos yung surname ng asawa ko. Yan na din kasi nakalagay sa bago kong ID (You will just put a hyphen after my surname and add my husband's last name as my surname. That's what written in my new ID. *shows my Postal ID*)

Staff: *still looked confused as I insist on how my surname should be, but still proceeded with my hyphenated last name*

While I wait for my certificate to be printed and signed, I will need to go to the clinic nearby so I can get my medical certificate.

Me already at the clinic, filled out the form, weighed in, checked my height, checked my vision, and then the same thing happened while the staff in the clinic encodes my information.

Staff: *checks my surname* Ma'am anong last name mo? (ma'am what's your last name?)

Me: *mentioned my hyphenated last name*

Staff: Ma'am married na kayo diba, dapat yung surname ng asawa mo yung last name mo tapos yung surname mo, magiging middle name mo na. (Ma'am you're married right? You should carry your husband's last name and then your surname will be your middle name)

Me: No Ate. Yan na yung nakalagay sa bago kong ID, kaya yan ang gagamitin kong surname. (No, that's what I used on my new ID and that's what I'll use as my surname).

Staff: Di po pwede to ma'am kasi isang surname lang tinatanggap samin. *continued to type what she insisted as my surname should be*

Me: *already getting pissed off as she tried to educate me but clearly she's not familiar with the law Takes a deep breath and held my negative emotions inside.**

Staff: *took my picture* Ma'am kasi sa lisensya hindi pwedeng dalawang surname, kaya dapat ganito surname mo. (Ma'am for driver's license, they do not allow two surnames, that's why thisyour husband's last name should be your last name)

Me: *clenching my teeth, got my medical certificate and got out of the clinic*

I didn't go back to the driving school after because it was already lunch time and I had my lunch too, badtrip and almost pissed off but hey I still need to give a benefit of the doubt since clearly the staff wasn't familiar with the law/right. I talked to my husband and told him about what happened. He asked me and sounded confused to as why would they not allow it because he has a friend with a hyphenated surname and single. After I got my TDC Certification, I immediately went home because the Lil B was waiting for her favorite meal.

Actually this already happened in a clinic when I had a urinalysis, the nurse told me the same thing. I didn't argue because I still do not have a new ID using that surname that time.

I told my sisters that the clinic didn't allow me to use my hyphenated surname. I asked one of my sister what IDs does she have with her hyphenated surname, Postal ID and PhilHealth ID. She then sent a link from Facebook with the same experience but she wanted to udpate her IDs to her married name in government offices. Here's what happened:

You can check this link too

Memorandum Circular No. 2016-07,
Republic Act 386, Article 370

Why such a big fuss?

I know that some people who might be reading this may think that I am being maarte or choosy. Some may think that maybe I am just going with the trend or I just wanted to flaunt that I am married or I just want to make my name longer. Some may say, why can't I just use the traditional format to avoid complications.

Oh trust me when I say I don't want my name to be longer than it already is. My name already won't fit on forms. I am not choosy or maarte in all aspects of life and definitely choosing your surname to be on that format is not a trend, IT IS A RIGHT AND IN THE LAW.

Why can't I use the traditional format?

Yes, I do want to avoid complications. Acquiring my husband's surname is easier and it SHOULD be that way. Nooooooo!

I've mentioned in my previous article, that our surname is fading. Why? Because next to my father's generation we have more women than men in the family. The bearer of our surname are getting less and less. Some of my guy cousins doesn't even have child/children yet and the ones who already have children has daughters too. Like in our family, I have 3 siblings, 3 more sisters and 3 of us are already married.

I also asked my husband if I can still use my maiden name but he wants me to use his last name too. I wanted to retain and see my surname anywhere I should even if I am already married. Changing totally my surname to his also feels like I needed to change my whole being and be another person, plus we can't deny the fact that I've been using the same name literally my whole life and NEED to change it to someone else's once married. I love my surname too.

Anyway, that's it for my rant today.

Let me just thank my lovely sponsors for staying with me and special mention to @Marinov for renewing your sponsorship. :)

You can also go back to my other related articles here:
Maximizing Time Together - Postal ID edition

Hello Mrs. Lastname