Signature Schizophrenia

For the past 12 months since I officially became a missus, I’ve been having a case of signature schizophrenia –it’s what I call when a new wife signs her name differently in various documents. Before I got married, and even before the prospect of marriage came about, I already considered maintaining my maiden name. It was in fact my civil right. According to Article 370 of Republic Act 386:

A married woman may use: (1) Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband's surname, or (2) Her maiden first name and her husband's surname or (3) Her husband's full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as "Mrs."

Note: There have been bills in Senate and the Lower House amending this Article in the Civil Code to add that a married woman may use HER MAIDEN FIRST NAME AND SURNAME.

Here are more excerpts from the Supreme Court website:

Marriage does not change a woman's name. It merely changes her civil status. Her true and real name is that given to her and entered in the Civil Registry which she may continue to use despite her marriage or cessation of marriage for whatever reason she may have (Herrera, Remedial Law, 1996 Ed. III-A, p. 338, citing Yasin v. Judge, Shari'a District Court, 241 SCRA 606 (1995)

Under the present article of our Code, however, the word "may" is used, indicating that the use of the husband's surname by the wife is permissive rather than obligatory. We have no law which provides that the wife shall change her name to that of the husband upon marriage. This in is consonance with the principle that surnames indicate descent. It seems, therefore, that a married woman may use only her maiden name and surname. She has an option, but not a duty, to use the surname of the husband in any of the ways provided by this Article." (Tolentino, Civil Code of the Philippines, Commentaries and Jurisprudence, 1990, Vol. I, p. 675.)

I’ve always liked my initials V.V. and though it’s often misread as Virginia, Virgilino, or worse Virgilio, I knew that my name had a certain ring to it – Virgilind Villanueva. It’s unique. It rolls out your tongue just right. It sounds strong. It’s got character. And being a fan of feminism, the rules stated above were very close to my heart.

However, forgive me for abandoning such girl power principles for the sake of LOVE. I decided to carry my husband’s surname not because I was a ditzy submissive Stepford wife but because I realized that if we were to be one family then it’s just logical to share a family name, right? So I became Mrs. Virgilind Palarca. It doesn’t have as much impact as my maiden name but I figured it’s the closest I can get to having the word PALANCA (the prestigious literary award) next to my name. I may not be a Palanca Winner but I own a Palarca wei- oh, I mean I am a Palarca wife. (wink wink!)

But changing my name didn’t come easy for me. It was something I always took a rain check on. The first legal document that I was forced to update was my passport. It made sense. Imagine a few years from now when we finally have kids and we’d be traveling abroad. Imagine the hassle at the immigration if my surname had to be different from my husband and kids. So since my passport was due for renewal anyway, I might as well update that first. Then soon after, I was applying for credit cards, internet, phone, and cable services under my new married name because I had the passport and marriage certificate as proof of identification.

However, most of my bank accounts and my BIR and SSS info still carried my maiden name. So for many months I was signing some documents with my new handwritten signature as Virgilind Palarca. And then for writing checks, I was signing in my old name. For some reason, my clients even after I got married kept making checks for me in my maiden name. To avoid confusion I just decided to let them be.

But it eventually came to a point when it became confusing… And then we also had to finally come face to face with making our very first bank loan as husband and wife. The credit investigators wanted to see how much money we got together as a couple. (Joint accounts, that’s another blog altogether!) So this afternoon, finally after a year and a month of being married, I had all my bank accounts updated to my new surname. And now my husband can also sign our checks in our behalf.

So there, I am finally JUST Virgilind Palarca. Please start writing all pending talent fee checks to that name please. :-)