(RA 9048 and RA 10172 — A Complete, Practical Guide)

Short answer: Expect ₱1,000–₱3,000 in government filing fees (depending on the type of correction and where you file), plus out-of-pocket costs for supporting documents, notarization, publication (when required), PSA copies, and courier. Total all-in expenses commonly land between ₱2,000 and ₱10,000+, with outliers when publication or international filing is involved.

I. Legal backdrop—what each law covers

Republic Act No. 9048 (as amended by RA 10172) shifted certain civil-registration fixes from the courts to the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO):
- RA 9048 (core rule):
  - Clerical/typographical errors in entries (e.g., a misspelled name, wrong birthplace spelling, wrong parents’ ages).
  - Change of first name or nickname (CFN).
  - Change/correction of day and month of birth and the sex entry are not under the original RA 9048.
- RA 10172 (amendment):
  - Extends administrative correction to (a) the day and/or month in the date of birth and (b) the sex when the error is clearly clerical/typographical (i.e., not requiring medical/surgical intervention to “change” sex, but to correct a wrong entry).

If the problem affects filiation/legitimacy, nationality, age-year, or marital status, or requires a change of last name, it usually needs a court order, not RA 9048/10172.

II. Who may file, and where

Who: The person whose record is being corrected; if a minor, a parent/guardian; or an authorized representative with a SPA.
Where:
- LCRO of the city/municipality where the birth was registered (“place of registration”), or
- Migrant petition at the LCRO where you presently reside (the LCRO will endorse to the place of registration).
- From abroad: Through the Philippine Embassy/Consulate having jurisdiction.

III. Cost components—what you’ll actually pay

A. Government filing fees (typical schedules)

Fees can vary modestly by LGU ordinance. The figures below reflect typical official schedules most applicants encounter.

Type of petition	Filed at LCRO of place of registration	Filed as migrant (add-on)	Filed abroad (consular)
Clerical/Typographical Error (RA 9048)	₱1,000	+₱1,000	~US$150 (consular schedule)
Change of First Name/Nickname (CFN) (RA 9048)	₱3,000	+₱1,000	~US$150 (consular schedule)
Correction of Day/Month of Birth (RA 10172)	₱3,000	+₱1,000	~US$150 (consular schedule)
Correction of Sex (clerical error only) (RA 10172)	₱3,000	+₱1,000	~US$150 (consular schedule)

Notes on the table

Migrant surcharge applies when you file in an LCRO other than the place of registration.
Consular fees are charged in USD and may vary slightly by post (the ballpark ~US$150 is common); check the specific post’s schedule.
Some LCROs add minimal documentary/stationery fees (tens to a few hundred pesos).

B. Publication and posting

CFN (change of first name/nickname): typically requires newspaper publication (e.g., once a week for two consecutive weeks).
- Estimated cost: ₱1,500–₱6,000+ depending on the newspaper/city.
Clerical errors and RA 10172 corrections (day/month or sex) generally require office posting (e.g., LCRO bulletin board) rather than paid newspaper publication—₱0 or a nominal posting fee if any.

C. Supporting documents, certifications, and notarization

Expect to secure and pay for copies of:

PSA birth certificate (SECPA) prior to filing and again after annotation: ₱155–₱365 per copy (channel and delivery dependent).
Baptismal/Confirmation, school records, medical records (for sex/date corrections), IDs, parents’ IDs: ₱0–₱500+ in aggregate, depending on issuers.
Medical certification (RA 10172—sex correction): doctor’s affidavit/certification that the sex entry was clerically mis-entered; cost varies (₱500–₱2,500+) depending on provider/hospital.
Notarization (Affidavit of Discrepancy, Affidavit of Publication, etc.): ₱150–₱500 per document (province vs NCR pricing).

D. Courier/endorsement and travel

Courier (LCRO↔PSA or you↔newspaper): ₱120–₱400 domestic; international varies widely.
Personal appearance/transport costs if the LCRO requires you to appear or to pick up documents.

IV. Typical all-in budgets (illustrative only)

These scenarios assume one PSA copy pre-filing and two copies after annotation, basic notarization, and Metro Manila publication rates when applicable.

Simple clerical error (RA 9048) at place of registration
- Filing fee: ₱1,000
- Posting: ₱0
- Notarization (1–2 affs): ₱300–₱800
- PSA copies (3 total lifetime for this process): ₱465–₱1,095
- Misc/courier: ₱150–₱400 Estimated total: ₱2,000–₱3,300
Change of first name (RA 9048) as a migrant petitioner
- Filing fee: ₱3,000
- Migrant add-on: ₱1,000
- Newspaper publication: ₱2,000–₱6,000+
- Notarization (2–3 affs): ₱300–₱1,000
- PSA copies (3): ₱465–₱1,095
- Courier/misc: ₱150–₱600 Estimated total: ₱6,900–₱11,700+
Correction of sex (clerical) under RA 10172 at place of registration
- Filing fee: ₱3,000
- Posting (LCRO): ₱0 (or nominal)
- Medical certification: ₱500–₱2,500+
- Notarization (2 affs): ₱300–₱800
- PSA copies (3): ₱465–₱1,095
- Courier/misc: ₱150–₱400 Estimated total: ₱4,400–₱7,800+

Tip: If you already have prior PSA copies on hand, or your LCRO bundles posting/notarization, your floor cost can be lower.

V. What each petition typically requires (and why costs differ)

A. Clerical/Typographical Error (RA 9048)

What you must show: The error is minor and obvious on its face, with credible documents (school, church, medical, IDs) consistently showing the correct data.
Why costs are modest: No publication; posting only. ₱1,000 base filing fee is typical.

B. Change of First Name/Nickname (RA 9048)

What you must show:
- The change is necessary to avoid confusion or consistent with the name you have habitually used; and
- No criminal/civil liability or fraudulent purpose.
Why costs spike: Newspaper publication is required before approval; fees vary by paper/city. Filing fee is higher.

C. Correction of Day/Month of Birth or Sex (RA 10172)

What you must show:
- The erroneous entry resulted from clerical/typographical mistake (e.g., “06” typed as “09”; sex ticked “F” though all records and newborn assessment show “M”).
- Medical certification supports sex corrections as a recording error (not gender transition).
Why costs are mid-high: Filing fee is ₱3,000; no paid publication but medical documents add cost.

VI. Step-by-step (so you don’t overspend)

Pre-check your PSA copy (latest SECPA). List every inconsistency across IDs, school/church/medical documents.
Consult your LCRO about exact fees and required forms; ask if they accept migrant filing and confirm posting/publication details.
Gather proofs that consistently show the correct data (earliest records carry weight).
Prepare affidavits (Discrepancy; CFN justification; Publication, as applicable) and have them notarized.
For CFN: Arrange newspaper publication (follow the LCRO’s format and schedule). Keep the clippings and publisher’s certification.
File and pay at the LCRO (and migrant add-on if applicable). Keep official receipts.
Posting/publication window runs (e.g., posting for ~10 days; CFN publication runs per newspaper schedule).
LCRO decision/endorsement to PSA, then PSA annotation.
Request new PSA copies (with annotation) once PSA confirms availability.

VII. Timelines (so fees make sense)

Document gathering & notarization: a few days to a few weeks (depends on issuers).
LCRO evaluation + posting/publication window: commonly 2–6 weeks (CFN longer due to publication).
PSA annotation queue: often 4–12+ weeks after LCRO endorsement.
Abroad/consular filings: add international courier/mailing time and the post’s internal queue.

These are practical ranges; actual processing can be shorter or longer depending on LCRO workload and document completeness.

VIII. Ways to keep costs down

File at the place of registration when feasible (avoid migrant surcharge).
Use LCRO’s posting (no paid publication) whenever your petition type allows (clerical errors; RA 10172 corrections).
Consolidate notarizations (have multiple affidavits notarized together).
Order PSA copies in one go after annotation to save courier fees.
Ask the LCRO whether publication may use the most economical community paper that meets their requirements.

IX. Quick decision tree (cost-focused)

Is it a simple misspelling? → RA 9048 (clerical) → ~₱1,000 filing + minor incidentals.
Is it the first name you want to replace? → RA 9048 (CFN) → ₱3,000 filing + publication (big variable).
Wrong day or month or wrong sex due to encoding error? → RA 10172 → ₱3,000 filing + medical cert (if sex).

X. Checklist (print-friendly)

Latest PSA birth certificate (SECPA).
Valid IDs of petitioner (and parents, if needed).
Earliest records showing correct data (baptismal, school, medical, pre-natal, immunization).
Affidavit(s) (Discrepancy; CFN justification; Publication).
Medical certificate (if correcting sex under RA 10172).
Newspaper clippings & publisher’s certification (CFN).
LCRO receipts for filing fees (and migrant add-on).
Courier/tracking (if any).
Follow-up with LCRO/PSA for annotation release, then buy new PSA copies.

XI. Bottom line

Budget anchors:
- ₱1,000 base fee for clerical RA 9048 petitions;
- ₱3,000 for CFN and RA 10172 petitions;
- +₱1,000 if migrant;
- ~US$150 if consular.
The swing cost is publication (CFN) and medical certification (sex correction).
Your exact total depends on where you file and which supporting papers you must secure.

If you want, tell me your specific error, where the birth was registered, and where you live now—I can map out a line-item budget tailored to your case.