How to Correct or Obtain School Records and Credentials

Quick answer

To obtain or correct school records in the Philippines, start with the institution that keeps the original academic record: the school or registrar for elementary, secondary, and college records, or the TESDA issuing office for a National Certificate (NC) or Certificate of Competency (COC). If the school has closed, the appropriate DepEd Schools Division Office (for basic education) or CHED Regional Office (for higher education) is the practical next point of contact.

For basic education, the permanent academic record historically called Form 137 is now generally referred to as School Form 10 (SF10). DepEd maintains formal procedures for requesting, transferring, authenticating, and correcting school records. Transfers of permanent records between schools are normally handled school-to-school, rather than making the parent or learner personally carry the official permanent record. (Department of Education Philippines)

A correction is different from obtaining another copy. A simple transcription or encoding error may be corrected administratively if supported by the proper documents. But if the school record merely reflects an error that also appears in the learner's birth certificate or other civil-registry record, the underlying civil record may have to be corrected first through the Local Civil Registrar, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), or, for corrections requiring judicial action, the proper court. The Data Privacy Act gives individuals rights of access and rectification, but it does not bypass a correction procedure that legally requires action by a court or another government agency. (National Privacy Commission)

Identify exactly what record you need

Before filing a request, determine whether you need:

  • a report card or School Form 9;
  • a permanent record or SF10/Form 137;
  • a certificate of enrollment;
  • a certificate of graduation or completion;
  • a diploma or replacement diploma;
  • a Transcript of Records (TOR);
  • a certification of units earned;
  • an authenticated or CAV-certified academic record;
  • a TESDA NC or COC;
  • or a correction to your name, birth details, grades, course information, or other entries.

The process depends on the document and on whether the record belongs to basic education, higher education, or the TESDA certification system.

Do not request "all school records" unless that is actually what you need. A school, employer, university, embassy, licensing authority, or foreign institution may require one particular document in a particular form.

How to obtain elementary or secondary school records

For records from a public or private elementary or secondary school, begin with the school registrar, records custodian, or school head.

DepEd recognizes services for the issuance of school forms, certifications, and permanent records. The usual request may require identification, a written request or requisition form, and authorization if another person is acting for the learner. Requirements for duplicate documents can include proof explaining the loss, depending on the particular record and the applicable Citizen's Charter. (Department of Education Philippines)

If you are transferring to another school

DepEd Order No. 54, s. 2016 established procedures for requesting and transferring learner records, including the permanent record and report card. DepEd guidance emphasizes that official transfer records should be transmitted from the former school to the receiving school, rather than transferring responsibility for the official record to the parent or guardian. (Department of Education Philippines)

A practical approach is:

  1. Enroll or apply for enrollment at the receiving school.
  2. Ask the receiving school what record it needs from the previous school.
  3. Give the receiving school the correct name of the previous school, school year, grade level, and learner details.
  4. Ask the receiving school to initiate the appropriate school-to-school request where required.
  5. Keep copies or screenshots of the request and any acknowledgment.

If the records have not arrived, follow up with both schools rather than repeatedly requesting another original from the learner.

If you personally need a copy for employment or another legal purpose

Ask the school whether you need a:

  • certified true copy;
  • certification of graduation;
  • SF10/Form 137;
  • diploma;
  • certificate of enrollment; or
  • other certification.

The school's current Citizen's Charter or records policy should state the requirements, fees if any, and processing period.

What if the school has closed?

Do not assume that the record disappeared when a school stopped operating.

For closed private basic-education schools, DepEd Schools Division Offices may hold academic records that were turned over to them. Current DepEd division procedures include services specifically for graduates of closed private schools whose records are available in the SDO. A requesting graduate may be required to present a request form, identification, photographs, and—where there is a discrepancy—a PSA birth certificate. (Schools Division of Zambales)

A practical sequence is:

  1. Identify the full name and former address of the closed school.
  2. Contact the DepEd Schools Division Office having jurisdiction over the school's former location.
  3. Ask its Records Unit whether the school's records were deposited there.
  4. Provide your full name used while enrolled, approximate school years, grade or year level, and graduation year if applicable.
  5. If the SDO does not have the record, ask for the formal procedure for a search or certification of non-availability.

Current DepEd division procedures also contemplate cases where a school reports that it no longer has the requested academic record. The SDO may search records under its custody and, if none can be found, issue the appropriate certification of non-availability under its service procedure. (Schools Division of Zambales)

For a closed college or university, contact the CHED Regional Office covering the institution's location and ask which office or institution presently has custody of the former school's academic records. Do not pay an unofficial "fixer" claiming to have access to a defunct school's database.

How to correct errors in elementary or secondary school records

The first question is whether the problem is:

  • an error made only in the school record;
  • an incorrect entry in the learner's electronic profile or Learner Information System;
  • an error in a diploma or permanent record;
  • or an error originating from the birth certificate or another civil-registry document.

That distinction matters.

Currently enrolled learners

DepEd's current procedures allow corrections involving currently enrolled learners to be initiated through the school, with the learner's identity and records validated through the appropriate learner-information procedures. The school's registrar or authorized personnel should therefore be the first point of contact.

Bring the strongest documentary proof available, such as:

  • PSA birth certificate;
  • current school records;
  • previous school records;
  • valid government ID, when applicable;
  • passport, if relevant;
  • and any document establishing how the error occurred.

Graduates and older records

For graduates, corrections may require action beyond the school itself.

Current DepEd procedures provide a legal-unit process for corrections in graduates' school records where the discrepancy is not merely something the school can resolve through routine learner-data updating. Common documentary requirements can include:

  • a written request;
  • the diploma and/or SF10/Form 137 containing the questioned entry;
  • a certification or endorsement from the school head;
  • a PSA birth certificate;
  • an affidavit explaining the discrepancy;
  • affidavits of disinterested persons;
  • additional graduation documentation for certain private-school graduates; and
  • identification and authorization documents when a representative files the request. (Schools Division of Zambales)

Requirements can differ according to the nature of the discrepancy and the DepEd office handling the application. Check the current Citizen's Charter of the relevant school, Schools Division Office, or Regional Office instead of relying on an old checklist.

A school cannot simply rewrite a civil-registry record

Suppose your diploma says "Maria Santos", but your PSA birth certificate also contains the allegedly incorrect name. Asking the school to use a different identity does not necessarily solve the legal problem.

Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172, permits specified civil-registry corrections to be handled administratively. These include qualifying clerical or typographical errors, change of first name or nickname under the statutory grounds, and qualifying clerical errors involving the day or month of birth or sex. (Lawphil)

Other substantial corrections may require a judicial proceeding under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court, depending on the entry and circumstances. The Supreme Court has repeatedly distinguished clerical corrections from substantial corrections affecting matters such as civil status or other material civil-registry information. (Lawphil)

Accordingly, if your PSA record itself is incorrect:

  1. determine what entry is wrong;
  2. ask the Local Civil Registrar whether the correction falls under RA 9048 or RA 10172;
  3. complete the applicable civil-registry correction first when legally required;
  4. obtain the corrected or annotated PSA record; and
  5. use that corrected civil document to support the corresponding correction of school records.

Do not submit inconsistent affidavits merely to make the school record match the name you currently prefer. The requested correction should be supported by lawful records establishing the correct entry.

The Data Privacy Act can help—but it is not a shortcut around other laws

School records contain personal information. Under Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act, personal information must be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. A data subject has rights to reasonable access and to dispute inaccurate or erroneous personal information. (Lawphil)

The National Privacy Commission expressly recognizes the right to rectification. However, the NPC also explains that this right does not replace a legal procedure where the requested correction requires an order from a court, another government agency, or another official process. (National Privacy Commission)

This distinction is important. The Data Privacy Act may support a request to correct an actual encoding or data error, but it does not authorize a school to disregard civil-registration law or fabricate a new academic history.

What if the error involves grades?

Separate a recording error from an academic dispute.

If the final grade was 90 in the teacher's approved class record but was accidentally encoded as 80 on the permanent record, that is fundamentally a records-correction issue. Preserve the class record, report card, grade sheet, screenshots, registrar certification, or other source document establishing the correct grade.

But if the recorded grade accurately reflects the grade officially given and the learner believes the teacher should have awarded a higher grade, that is generally an academic grievance or grade-appeal issue, not simply a typographical correction.

Ask the institution for its written rules on:

  • grade verification;
  • correction of erroneous grade entries;
  • appeals or reconsideration;
  • who must approve a change;
  • and the applicable deadline.

Do this promptly. Academic records become harder to reconstruct after teachers leave, systems change, or supporting class records reach the end of their prescribed retention period.

How to obtain college or university records

For higher education, request the underlying record directly from the registrar of the college or university.

Depending on the purpose, this may include:

  • Official Transcript of Records;
  • certified true copy of the TOR;
  • diploma;
  • certificate of graduation;
  • certification of units earned;
  • course description;
  • transfer credential;
  • or other registrar certification.

CHED's eCAV system is not a substitute for obtaining the underlying TOR or diploma. For a graduate's eCAV application, CHED currently requires an Official Transcript of Records certified as a true copy and signed by the current HEI registrar, together with a certified diploma or certificate of graduation, plus other documents when applicable. Undergraduate applicants generally need a certified TOR and certificate of units earned. (CHED eCAV)

Therefore, if you have no TOR at all, start with the university registrar—not with CHED eCAV.

When CHED certification or authentication is needed

Certification, Authentication and Verification or CAV is different from merely requesting another school copy of a TOR.

CHED fully implemented its electronic CAV or eCAV system for higher-education authentication, certification, and verification requests in 2025. Applicants can create an account, upload the required documents, submit the application, pay through the available channels where applicable, track the application, and obtain the resulting eCAV through the platform. (CHED eCAV)

For academic documents intended for use abroad, CHED announced in March 2026 that a fully digital DFA Apostille process is available for CHED eCAVs. (CHED eCAV)

There is also an important current exception: beginning January 1, 2026, processing of CAV and Special Order applications for Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) students was transferred to MARINA. (CHED eCAV)

Do not assume that every foreign employer or university requires CAV or Apostille. Ask the receiving institution exactly what form of authentication it requires before spending money or obtaining unnecessary certifications.

How to replace or correct a TESDA certificate

TESDA has separate procedures for its National Certificates (NCs) and Certificates of Competency (COCs).

For a lost NC or COC, TESDA instructs the holder to apply at the TESDA District or Provincial Office that issued the certificate and submit the required documents, including a request letter, notarized affidavit of loss, and prescribed photograph. Damaged certificates and certificates containing erroneous entries have their own replacement requirements. For erroneous entries, TESDA requires supporting identity documentation such as a passport or birth certificate. (Tesda)

TESDA also maintains an online Registry of Certified Workers, which can be used to verify certification status. (Tesda)

If your problem concerns an NC or COC, deal with TESDA rather than asking the training center to recreate or independently "correct" a TESDA-issued certificate.

What evidence should you preserve?

Before surrendering an original document or starting a correction, make a complete digital copy of everything.

Preserve:

  • the incorrect school record;
  • older versions of the same record;
  • PSA birth certificate and any annotated copy;
  • baptismal or other early records if relevant;
  • report cards;
  • enrollment forms;
  • previous TORs;
  • diplomas and certificates;
  • official class or grade records available to you;
  • valid IDs;
  • emails with the registrar;
  • request forms and receiving copies;
  • official receipts;
  • tracking numbers;
  • screenshots of online applications;
  • denial letters;
  • certifications of non-availability; and
  • any resolution approving or denying the requested correction.

For an important request, obtain proof that the school or agency actually received it. A stamped receiving copy, official email acknowledgment, application number, or electronic tracking record can later establish what was requested and when.

A useful written request should be specific

A records-correction request should identify:

  • the learner's full name appearing in the record;
  • any LRN or student number;
  • school and year graduated or last attended;
  • exact document containing the error;
  • exact incorrect entry;
  • exact requested correction;
  • document proving the correct information;
  • purpose of the request, when relevant; and
  • contact details for the school's response.

For example, do not merely write, "Please correct my records."

State that the middle name on the SF10 is "Reyes," that the PSA Certificate of Live Birth states "Reyes-Santos," and that you are requesting correction of the specified entry in the SF10 and all affected school credentials, subject to DepEd procedures.

Common mistakes to avoid

Asking the wrong office

A school registrar ordinarily handles the underlying academic record. DepEd, CHED, PSA, and TESDA perform different functions. Sending a request directly to the wrong agency can add weeks of unnecessary delay.

Treating CAV as a replacement TOR

CAV authenticates or verifies qualifying academic records. It does not recreate a missing college transcript. Obtain the academic document from the institution or proper record custodian first.

Correcting the school record before correcting the source document

If the school's entry came from an incorrect civil-registry document, determine whether the PSA or Local Civil Registrar record must first be corrected.

Assuming every discrepancy is "just a typo"

Changing one letter can sometimes be clerical. Changing identity, parentage, civil status, birth year, or another material fact may raise substantially different legal requirements.

Trying to use the Data Privacy Act to change an accurate academic record

The right to rectification concerns inaccurate personal data. It does not create a right to rewrite an accurate grade, graduation history, disciplinary record, or legally required civil-registry information simply because the data subject disagrees with it.

Surrendering the only copy without documenting it

Scan or photograph important records before submission and obtain a written acknowledgment whenever an original must be left with an office.

Using fixers or unofficial "authenticated" documents

Academic credentials are frequently used for employment, immigration, professional licensing, and overseas applications. Use only the school, DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DFA, MARINA where applicable, or another duly authorized issuing or authentication authority.

What to do if the school refuses or does not act

First, ask for the refusal or deficiency notice in writing.

Then determine the reason.

If documents are incomplete, submit what is missing.

If the school says the record cannot be found, request escalation to its records custodian and ask what procedure applies to unavailable or archived records.

For a DepEd-regulated basic-education concern that cannot be resolved at school level, contact the appropriate Schools Division Office and, where necessary, the Regional Office.

For a higher-education records issue that the college or university cannot resolve, contact the CHED Regional Office with jurisdiction over the institution.

If the dispute concerns inaccurate personal data and ordinary institutional remedies have failed, the school's Data Protection Officer may also be an appropriate escalation point. The National Privacy Commission has authority over complaints involving rights protected by the Data Privacy Act, but privacy remedies should not be used to bypass a legally required civil-registry, academic, or judicial procedure. (National Privacy Commission)

When legal help may be urgent

Consider obtaining legal advice promptly if:

  • a school record reflects a fundamentally different identity;
  • the discrepancy concerns parentage, legitimacy, adoption, civil status, citizenship, or another substantial civil-registry issue;
  • you are being told that a judicial correction is required;
  • allegedly fraudulent records have been issued in your name;
  • a school has permanently closed and important original records appear to be missing;
  • a wrong record is preventing graduation, board-exam admission, employment, immigration, or enrollment and the deadline is near;
  • conflicting records exist across several schools or government agencies;
  • an institution refuses to correct an error despite clear official proof;
  • the disputed entry concerns grades and the school's appeal period is about to expire; or
  • someone is asking you to submit an affidavit containing facts that you know are inaccurate.

Where a civil-registry correction may require Rule 108 proceedings, the consequences extend beyond the school record itself. The proper remedy should be determined before filing documents that could create additional inconsistencies.

Frequently asked questions

Is Form 137 still valid?

Yes. "Form 137" remains widely used as the traditional name for the learner's permanent academic record. DepEd standardized the current permanent-record forms under the SF10 designation, including versions for elementary, junior high school, and senior high school. (Department of Education Philippines)

Can I personally request Form 137?

You may request records and certifications that the school's procedures allow to be issued to the learner. However, when the permanent record is being transferred for enrollment, DepEd's transfer rules provide for a school-to-school process. (Department of Education Philippines)

Can my parent or another person obtain my records?

Often yes, subject to the school's identity, authorization, and data-privacy requirements. Government service procedures commonly require an authorization letter and identification when another person acts for the record owner. More formal authority may be required in particular circumstances.

My diploma is lost. Can I get another one?

Ask the registrar whether the institution issues duplicate or replacement diplomas. Requirements vary. A school may ask for an affidavit of loss or may instead issue another form of certification. Do not assume that every institution follows the same replacement-diploma procedure.

My school record has the wrong spelling of my name. Do I need a court case?

Not necessarily. A genuine school-record transcription error can often be corrected administratively upon sufficient proof. If the underlying civil-registry document is also wrong, however, the applicable remedy depends on the nature of that civil-registry error. RA 9048 and RA 10172 provide administrative remedies for specified corrections, while other substantial corrections may require judicial proceedings. (Lawphil)

Can the school change my birth year because I have other IDs showing a different year?

Do not rely on other IDs alone. A birth-year discrepancy can involve the underlying civil registry and may require a different legal process from a simple school-record typo. The PSA has specifically distinguished birth-year errors from the day-or-month corrections covered by RA 10172. (Philippine Statistics Authority)

Can I force a school to change my records under the Data Privacy Act?

You may invoke your right to access and seek rectification of inaccurate personal information, but that right is not unlimited. The NPC states that it does not replace a court order, government-agency process, or another correction procedure required by law. (National Privacy Commission)

Can CHED issue my Transcript of Records if my university will not give it to me?

CHED eCAV normally works from academic records issued and certified by the higher education institution. The current eCAV requirements call for a TOR certified as a true copy and signed by the HEI registrar. If the institution cannot issue the record, contact the appropriate CHED Regional Office to determine the proper records-custody or regulatory remedy. (CHED eCAV)

Do I need CHED eCAV for every college transcript?

No. eCAV is an authentication, certification, and verification service. Whether you need it depends on the requirements of the employer, school, government agency, foreign authority, or other recipient.

How do I verify a TESDA NC or COC?

TESDA maintains its online Registry of Certified Workers for certificate-status verification. (Tesda)

Official sources

This article provides general legal and procedural information for the Philippines and is not a substitute for advice on a particular record, school policy, civil-registry issue, or pending case. Requirements can differ according to the document, institution, DepEd or CHED regional office, and nature of the requested correction. Official sources and current procedures were checked as of August 25, 2026.

Disclaimer: This content is not legal advice and may involve AI assistance. Information may be inaccurate.

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