A wrong birthdate in Form 137 can cause problems when enrolling in college, applying for a job, taking a board examination, requesting a passport, or submitting school records for immigration. The proper solution depends on one important question: Is the birthdate correct on the Philippine Statistics Authority birth certificate, or is the birth certificate itself also wrong? If the PSA birth certificate is correct and only the school record contains the mistake, the correction normally goes through the school and the Department of Education Schools Division Office. If the PSA record is also incorrect, the civil registry record usually must be corrected first.

What Is Form 137?

Form 137 is the traditional name for a learner’s permanent academic record in Philippine basic education. DepEd now generally refers to it as School Form 10 or SF10, although schools, employers, universities, and government offices still commonly use the term “Form 137.” Official DepEd templates identify SF10 as the learner’s permanent academic record and note that it was formerly called Form 137. (DepEd Support)

The record normally contains:

The learner’s complete name
Date and place of birth
Learner Reference Number or LRN
Parents’ or guardians’ information
Schools attended
Subjects, grades, credits, and promotion status
Graduation or completion information

Because Form 137 is a permanent scholastic record, a school should not simply erase, overwrite, or replace a birthdate based on an oral request. The correction must be supported by reliable identity documents and, for graduates, may require a formal resolution from the Schools Division Superintendent.

First Determine Which Document Is Wrong

Before preparing affidavits or going to DepEd, compare the birthdate shown on all available records:

Document	What to check
PSA Certificate of Live Birth	Day, month, and year of birth
Form 137 or SF10	Birthdate on the learner information page
Form 138 or report card	Birthdate, if shown
Diploma or certificate of graduation	Birthdate, if shown
Learner Information System record	Birthdate associated with the LRN
Passport and government IDs	Whether they follow the PSA birth certificate
Baptismal, medical, or early school records	Whether the same date appears consistently

There are three common situations.

The PSA birth certificate is correct, but Form 137 is wrong

This is normally a correction of a typographical error in a school record. For example:

PSA birth certificate: 14 September 2002
Form 137: 14 September 2003

The school and DepEd process the correction using the PSA birth certificate as the principal supporting record.

Both the PSA birth certificate and Form 137 are wrong

Correcting Form 137 alone will not solve the underlying problem. Government agencies generally rely on the civil registry record when determining a person’s legal identity. The PSA or local civil registry entry should usually be corrected first, after which the annotated PSA birth certificate can be used to update the school record.

The PSA birth certificate and early records conflict

This requires closer review. DepEd may ask for additional records because changing the entry could affect the person’s age, identity, graduation year, or eligibility for a program. A discrepancy that appears to involve two different identities, multiple birth registrations, legitimacy, citizenship, or an intentional misrepresentation is not treated as an ordinary typographical correction.

Legal and Administrative Basis for Correcting Form 137

A Form 137 correction is different from correcting a birth certificate. Form 137 is a school record under DepEd’s administrative supervision, while a birth certificate is part of the civil register.

The DepEd Citizen’s Charter 2026 provides a formal service called Correction of Entries in School Records. It covers graduates of public and private schools, including Alternative Learning System graduates, whose records contain errors that are purely typographical and may be corrected through a resolution or order directing the correction.

The same Citizen’s Charter distinguishes between:

Currently enrolled learners, whose personal information may be corrected through the school using their LRN; and
Graduates, whose requests are processed through the Schools Division Office Legal Unit.

DepEd division issuances also specifically recognize that the correction process may cover a student’s name and date of birth when the school entry does not match the PSA Certificate of Live Birth. (DepEd Dasma)

How to Correct a Birthdate Error for a Currently Enrolled Student

For a learner who is still enrolled, begin with the school where the learner is presently registered.

Obtain a recent PSA Certificate of Live Birth.

Bring the original and photocopies. A hospital record, baptismal certificate, passport, or affidavit may help explain the discrepancy, but the school will normally look first at the PSA birth certificate.
Submit a written request to the school head or registrar.

Identify:
- The incorrect birthdate currently appearing in the school record
- The correct birthdate shown on the PSA birth certificate
- The learner’s full name, grade level, section, LRN, and contact information
Ask the school to check every affected record.

The mistake may appear not only in the printed Form 137 but also in:
- The learner’s LIS profile
- Enrollment forms
- Report cards
- School Form 1
- Graduation lists
- Diploma preparation records
Allow the school to validate the request.

DepEd’s current Citizen’s Charter states that corrections for currently enrolled learners may be processed through the school using the LRN. The school validates the request and initiates the required correction under DepEd procedures.
Request written confirmation after the update.

Check the learner’s profile and future school forms. A correction in a paper file does not always mean that the LIS entry was also updated.

The process is usually easier while the learner is enrolled because the school still actively maintains the learner’s records. Delaying the correction until after graduation may require a formal application with the Schools Division Office.

How a Graduate Can Correct the Birthdate in Form 137

For graduates, the practical process normally involves both the school and the Schools Division Office that supervises it.

Step 1: Contact the school that issued or keeps the Form 137

Ask the registrar, records custodian, or school head for:

The original Form 137 or SF10 to be corrected
A photocopy of the record
A certification or endorsement from the school head
The Special Order of Graduation, when required for a private school graduate

Explain that the documents will be submitted for correction of an entry in the school record.

Step 2: Prepare a request letter

The letter should clearly state:

The graduate’s complete name
The school and year of graduation
The incorrect birthdate appearing in Form 137
The correct birthdate shown on the PSA birth certificate
The reason the correction is needed
A list of other affected records, such as the diploma or graduation certificate

The relevant SDO may require the letter to be addressed to the Schools Division Superintendent.

Step 3: Execute an affidavit of discrepancy

An Affidavit of Discrepancy is a notarized statement explaining that two records contain different entries and identifying the correct information.

It should generally include:

The person’s identity and address
The incorrect birthdate appearing in Form 137
The correct birthdate appearing in the PSA record
How or when the discrepancy was discovered
A statement that the request is made to make the school record consistent with the civil registry record

Bring valid identification when the affidavit is notarized.

Step 4: Obtain an affidavit of two disinterested persons

DepEd’s Citizen’s Charter lists an Affidavit of Two Disinterested Persons among the standard requirements for graduates. These are usually adults who personally know the applicant and the relevant facts but have no financial or legal interest in the correction.

Suitable affiants may include:

A longtime neighbor
A former teacher
A family friend
A community member who has known the person since childhood

Whether close relatives will be accepted depends on the SDO’s assessment. Using genuinely independent persons helps avoid delays.

Step 5: Submit the complete application to the Schools Division Office

The 2026 DepEd Citizen’s Charter requires the following for correction of entries in a graduate’s school records:

Requirement	Usual form
Request letter identifying the entries to be corrected	One original
Diploma, Form 137, or SF10 to be corrected	One original and one photocopy
Certification or endorsement from the school head	One photocopy
PSA Certificate of Live Birth	One original and one photocopy
Affidavit of Discrepancy	One original
Affidavit of Two Disinterested Persons	One original and one photocopy
Valid ID with photograph and signature	Copy or presentation as required
Data Privacy Consent Form	One original, normally obtained from the Legal Unit
Special Order of Graduation for a private school graduate	One original
Authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney, if represented	Original or authenticated copy, plus IDs

Submit the documents through the Records Section of the Schools Division Office. The Records Section logs and forwards them to the Legal Unit.

Step 6: Wait for legal evaluation and issuance of the resolution

The Legal Unit checks whether:

The documents are complete
The PSA record clearly supports the requested birthdate
The mistake is genuinely typographical
The records refer to the same person
The correction does not conceal a material change in identity or age

If legally sufficient, the Legal Unit prepares a resolution or order. The Schools Division Superintendent reviews and signs it, after which the applicant is notified that the document is ready for release.

Step 7: Present the resolution to the school or records custodian

The SDO resolution is the formal authority directing the correction. The school or lawful records custodian should then update the permanent record and issue the corrected Form 137 or SF10.

Check that:

The date is correct on every page where it appears
The correction is properly recorded or annotated
The school seal and authorized signatures are complete
The diploma and graduation records are corrected when included in the approved request
The LIS record is updated when applicable

Do not submit the corrected record to another agency until the entries have been checked carefully.

Fees and Processing Time

The DepEd Citizen’s Charter lists no government processing fee for the SDO correction of entries in school records. It gives a total internal processing time of approximately two days and one hour, assuming the documents are complete and the responsible officials are available.

That period does not necessarily represent the total elapsed time experienced by the applicant. The entire process may take longer because of:

Retrieval of an old Form 137
Preparation and notarization of affidavits
Obtaining the school head’s endorsement
Locating a private school’s Special Order of Graduation
Incomplete or inconsistent supporting documents
Routing between the school, Records Section, Legal Unit, and superintendent
Records stored in archives or held by a closed school’s custodian
Mailing or representative arrangements for applicants abroad

Applicants should expect to pay private expenses for notarization, photocopying, PSA certificates, courier services, and authentication of documents executed abroad.

What If the PSA Birth Certificate Is Also Wrong?

A school generally should not change Form 137 to a date that contradicts an existing PSA birth certificate without a legally sufficient basis. The civil registry error should ordinarily be corrected first.

Wrong day or month of birth

Republic Act No. 10172, enacted in 2012, allows a city or municipal civil registrar or Philippine consul to administratively correct an obvious clerical error in the day or month of birth without first obtaining a court order. The error must be visibly clerical and supported by other reliable records. The law amended the administrative correction system originally established under Republic Act No. 9048. (Lawphil)

The petition is normally filed with:

The Local Civil Registry Office where the birth was registered
The civil registrar where the person now resides, as a migrant petition when allowed
The nearest Philippine embassy or consulate for a qualified person residing abroad

Supporting evidence may include the earliest school record, medical records, baptismal records, clearances, and proof of publication. The implementing rules prescribe a basic filing fee of ₱3,000, an additional ₱1,000 service fee for a migrant petition, or US$150 for a petition filed with a Philippine consul. Publication and document expenses are separate. (Philippine Statistics Authority)

Wrong year of birth

RA 10172 does not administratively authorize correction of the year of birth. Its implementing rules expressly state that changing the year affects the person’s age and falls outside the law’s clerical correction procedure. (Philippine Statistics Authority)

A wrong birth year in the civil registry normally requires a petition under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court before the Regional Trial Court with jurisdiction over the civil registry where the record is kept. Rule 108 proceedings require the civil registrar and affected persons to be made parties, notice, publication once a week for three consecutive weeks, and a court hearing. (Lawphil)

The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that substantial civil registry errors may be corrected under Rule 108 when the proceedings are genuinely adversarial and all affected parties receive notice and an opportunity to oppose the petition. (Lawphil)

After the corrected or annotated PSA birth certificate is available, it can be submitted to DepEd to support the corresponding correction in Form 137.

Common Problems That Delay the Correction

The request covers only Form 137 even though the diploma is also wrong

List every affected school document in the request. Otherwise, the applicant may complete the Form 137 correction and later discover that a separate application is needed for the diploma.

The affidavit merely says the records are different

A useful affidavit identifies the exact incorrect and correct dates and explains why the PSA record should control. Vague affidavits are often returned for clarification.

The applicant submits an old NSO copy instead of a recent PSA certificate

The DepEd Citizen’s Charter specifically requires a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth. Obtain a clear, recent copy, particularly when the civil registry record has annotations.

The Form 137 contains a different birth year that affects school-age eligibility

A one-year difference may not be treated as harmless automatically. DepEd may examine enrollment dates, age at admission, graduation records, and other early documents to confirm that the records belong to the same person.

The applicant asks the receiving college to correct the record

The receiving university generally cannot alter a permanent record issued by another school. The correction must normally be made by the school that owns the original record or by its authorized records custodian.

The school has closed

For a closed private school, contact the Schools Division Office where the school operated. DepEd division records units may hold available academic records or identify the lawful custodian of the school’s files. Official DepEd division service charters provide procedures for issuing available records of learners and graduates from closed private schools. (Northern Samar)

The school refuses to process the request verbally

Submit the request in writing and obtain a receiving copy. Ask the school to state any missing requirement or legal reason for refusing. A documented request is easier to elevate to the SDO Records Section or Legal Unit.

Correcting Form 137 While Living Abroad

A person abroad may authorize someone in the Philippines to collect school documents and file or follow up the request. The DepEd Citizen’s Charter permits representation through an authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney, together with valid IDs of the applicant and representative.

For a document signed abroad:

It may be notarized at a Philippine embassy or consulate.
If signed before a foreign notary in a country that participates in the Apostille Convention, it will commonly need an apostille from that country’s competent authority.
Documents from a non-Apostille country may require consular authentication or legalization.
A document not written in English may require a certified English translation.

DFA guidance confirms that apostilled public documents from participating countries generally no longer require additional authentication by a Philippine embassy before being used in the Philippines. (Philippine Embassy in New Delhi)

A foreign student who does not have a PSA birth record should coordinate with the SDO Legal Unit before filing. The national Citizen’s Charter lists a PSA Certificate of Live Birth as the standard requirement, so the SDO may instead require the foreign birth certificate, passport, certified translation, apostille or authentication, and additional proof linking the foreign record to the Philippine school record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I correct my Form 137 without changing my birth certificate?

Yes, when the PSA birth certificate already contains the correct birthdate and only the Form 137 is wrong. Submit the PSA certificate and the other requirements to the school or SDO, depending on whether you are still enrolled or have already graduated.

Is an affidavit of discrepancy enough to correct Form 137?

Usually not. For graduates, DepEd also requires the school record, PSA birth certificate, school head’s endorsement, affidavit of two disinterested persons, valid identification, and other applicable documents.

Where should I file the request?

A currently enrolled learner should start with the present school. A graduate normally coordinates with the school that keeps the original record and files the complete application through the Records Section of the relevant Schools Division Office.

How long does a Form 137 correction take?

DepEd’s official internal processing time is about two days and one hour after complete documents reach the SDO. Actual elapsed time may be longer because obtaining affidavits, school endorsements, archived records, and signatures occurs outside that stated processing period.

Can the school simply issue a new Form 137 with the correct birthdate?

The school may correct the permanent record only after completing the required validation or receiving the proper SDO resolution. Quietly replacing the document without documenting the correction can create questions about authenticity later.

What if the wrong birthdate appears in both Form 137 and my diploma?

Include both documents in the same request and clearly identify every entry that must be corrected. DepEd’s correction service covers Form 137 or SF10 and the diploma, whichever records are affected.

What if my birth year is wrong on my PSA birth certificate?

A change in the year of birth normally affects legal age and is not covered by the administrative remedy under RA 10172. It generally requires a Rule 108 petition in the Regional Trial Court, followed by annotation of the civil registry record and a separate school-record correction.

Can my parent process the correction for me?

A parent may usually assist a minor. For an adult graduate, the SDO may require an authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney, plus copies of the applicant’s and representative’s valid IDs.

Do I need to correct my college transcript separately?

Yes. Form 137 is a basic education record. If a college or university transcript copied the wrong birthdate, the higher education institution must update its own records after receiving the corrected PSA certificate and school documents.

Will the correction change my grades or graduation date?

No. A birthdate correction should affect only the erroneous personal information. Grades, credits, attendance, and graduation details should remain unchanged unless a separate verified error exists.

Key Takeaways

Form 137 is now generally called SF10, the learner’s permanent academic record.
First determine whether the error is only in the school record or also appears in the PSA birth certificate.
Currently enrolled learners should begin with their school and request correction of both the paper record and LIS profile.
Graduates normally need a school endorsement, PSA birth certificate, affidavits, valid ID, and an SDO resolution.
DepEd lists no government processing fee and an internal processing time of about two days and one hour for a complete graduate application.
If the PSA record has the wrong day or month, an administrative correction may be available under RA 10172.
A wrong year of birth in the civil registry normally requires a court proceeding under Rule 108.
Verify the corrected Form 137, diploma, LIS entry, and related records before using them for employment, education, passport, or immigration purposes.