Quick answer

Ask the school or institution that issued or keeps the record. Submit a written request identifying the exact document or error, attach proof of identity and supporting civil or academic records, and keep proof that the request was received.

Philippine law gives students access to their own school records and the right to receive official certificates, diplomas, transcripts, grades, transfer credentials, and similar documents within 30 days from request, subject to lawful school regulations and applicable exceptions. Parents may access records directly relating to children under their parental responsibility. Schools must also keep student records confidential. These rights appear in Sections 8 and 9 of the Education Act of 1982.

The correct procedure depends on what you need:

For basic-education records, begin with the school registrar, records custodian, or school head. Transfers of the permanent record—School Form 10 or former Form 137—are normally handled directly between schools through the Learner Information System.
For college or university records, apply through the registrar of the higher education institution.
For a typographical error in a basic-education graduate’s record, the school and the DepEd Schools Division Office usually process the correction.
For a major identity discrepancy, or when the school entry follows an incorrect birth record, the civil-registry record may have to be corrected first.
For a closed school, contact the DepEd Schools Division Office for basic education or the appropriate CHED Regional Office for higher education.
For a TESDA National Certificate or Certificate of Competency, apply to the TESDA office that issued it.

A request to correct a name, date of birth, sex entry, place of birth, or other personal detail is different from a request to change a grade or academic finding. Academic entries require the school’s academic-review process and evidence such as class records, examination records, or an approved grade-change form.

Identify the document you actually need

Using the correct document name avoids delays.

Document	What it generally establishes	Where to request it
School Form 9 or SF9, formerly Form 138	Report card or learner progress for a school year	Basic-education school
School Form 10 or SF10, formerly Form 137	Permanent academic record	Originating school; for transfers, requested by the receiving school
Diploma or certificate of graduation	Completion or graduation	Issuing school
Certification of enrollment, graduation, units earned, or grades	A specific academic fact	School registrar or records custodian
Official Transcript of Records or TOR	College or university subjects, grades, credits, and degree information	HEI registrar
Transfer credential or honorable dismissal	Eligibility and authorization to transfer from an HEI	HEI last attended
Certification, Authentication and Verification or CAV	Government verification of school credentials	DepEd, CHED, or TESDA, depending on the credential
National Certificate or Certificate of Competency	TESDA assessment certification	TESDA issuing office

Ask the employer, admitting school, licensing body, foreign evaluator, or embassy exactly what it requires. A certified copy, TOR, diploma, CAV, and Apostille serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.

How to obtain basic-education records

If the learner is transferring schools

The receiving school should initiate the request for SF10 through the Learner Information System. DepEd’s current service charter states that the originating school must deliver the SF10 within 30 days. The permanent record is a confidential school record and should not ordinarily be hand-carried by the learner, parent, or guardian.

Give the receiving school:

The learner’s full name used in the previous school;
Learner Reference Number, if known;
Date of birth;
Previous school’s complete name, location, and school ID if available;
Grade level and school year last attended; and
Any old SF9, enrollment form, school ID, or other document that helps locate the record.

Follow up with the receiving school, because it is responsible for initiating and tracking the transfer. DepEd continues to maintain transfer and correction facilities through its Learner Information System support page.

If SF10 cannot be produced for reasons beyond the school’s control, DepEd Order No. 54, s. 2016 recognizes School Form 5, kept at the Schools Division Office, as a possible substitute in the circumstances covered by that order. The receiving and originating schools should coordinate this rather than making the family reconstruct the record unaided.

If you need a certified copy for employment or another personal purpose

Apply directly to the school’s registrar or designated records custodian. State whether you need SF9, SF10, a diploma, or a certification. DepEd’s current Citizen’s Charter provides a school-level service for certified SF9 and SF10 records and lists no agency fee for that service, although external expenses such as photocopying, notarization, courier delivery, or PSA documents may still arise.

Bring or submit:

A signed request letter;
A valid government-issued ID;
The learner’s identifying and attendance details;
The purpose and number of copies requested; and
Written authorization and the required IDs if a representative will act for the record owner.

For a minor, the school may require proof that the requester is a parent or lawful guardian. For an adult learner, the school should not disclose confidential records to a relative, employer, or other third party without proper authority or another lawful basis.

If the diploma was lost or damaged

First ask whether the intended recipient will accept a certified graduation record, SF10, or certificate of graduation. A school may not simply print an identical replacement diploma under every circumstance.

DepEd’s 2026 service charter describes a reconstructed diploma for loss or damage specifically for CAV purposes. Its listed evidence includes a sworn statement from two classmates, principals, or teachers supported by graduation photographs or a graduation program, or certified academic records held by a tertiary institution or employer. Additional documents may apply, including a marriage certificate or special power of attorney. Because reconstruction is limited and fact-dependent, confirm the current checklist with the school and Schools Division Office before obtaining affidavits.

How to correct a basic-education record

Currently enrolled learner

Begin with the school. The registrar, records custodian, or school head should compare the learner’s record with the PSA birth certificate and other reliable documents, then initiate the appropriate correction in the Learner Information System using the learner’s LRN.

Submit a written request that states:

The incorrect entry;
The exact correction requested;
Every record where the error appears;
How the error occurred, if known; and
The supporting documents establishing the correct entry.

Ask the school to confirm whether the correction covers the learner’s LIS profile, SF9, SF10, enrollment records, diploma data, and any records already sent to another school.

Graduate with a typographical error

DepEd’s current Citizen’s Charter routes purely typographical corrections for graduates of public or private basic-education schools, including ALS graduates, through the Schools Division Office Legal Unit. The published standard checklist includes:

Original request letter identifying the entries to be corrected;
The diploma, Form 137, or SF10 containing the error;
Certification or endorsement from the school head;
PSA Certificate of Live Birth;
Affidavit of Discrepancy;
Affidavit of two disinterested persons;
Valid ID;
Authorization or special power of attorney and both parties’ IDs, if represented;
Data-privacy consent form; and
For a private-school graduate, the Special Order of Graduation.

The exact number of originals and photocopies and the proper routing may vary by office, so check the current charter of the relevant SDO before filing. The DepEd Citizen’s Charter published by an official Schools Division Office distinguishes SDO-level typographical corrections from major corrections requiring Regional Office legal review.

Major discrepancy or change of identity

A change that is not a simple transcription or spelling error may require DepEd Regional Office review. A complete change of identity or a request unsupported by the civil-registry record may require a court order or another competent government agency’s order.

Examples that require closer legal review include:

A different surname or parentage;
A change affecting legitimacy, nationality, or age;
A materially different date or place of birth;
Conflicting identities across several records;
A requested name or sex entry not reflected in the civil registry; or
A correction that would change who earned the academic credential.

Do not ask the school to disregard an uncorrected PSA record. Correct the controlling civil-registry document first when required, obtain a newly issued annotated PSA certificate, and then return to the school or education agency.

When the birth certificate must be corrected first

Republic Act No. 9048 permits local civil registrars or Philippine consuls to correct qualifying clerical or typographical errors and process certain changes of first name without a court order. Republic Act No. 10172 expanded the administrative procedure to patently clerical errors involving the day or month of birth and the sex entry. It does not administratively authorize a change in the year of birth, nationality, age, or legitimacy status.

The available process depends on the error:

A harmless and obvious clerical error or qualifying first-name change may fall under Republic Act No. 9048.
An obvious clerical error in the day or month of birth or sex entry may fall under Republic Act No. 10172 and its PSA implementing rules.
A blank entry may sometimes be addressed through a supplemental report.
A substantial correction outside those statutes may require a judicial petition under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court or another applicable legal proceeding.

The administrative remedy for correcting a sex entry under RA 10172 applies when it is patently clear that the recorded entry was a clerical mistake and requires the evidence prescribed by the statute and its rules. It is not a general administrative procedure for every substantive request to change a sex or gender marker.

Because civil-registry corrections can affect several government records, obtain advice from the local civil registrar or a Philippine lawyer before filing affidavits or choosing between an administrative and judicial petition.

How to obtain or correct college and university credentials

Apply first to the registrar of the college or university. Specify whether you need:

Official or personal-copy TOR;
Diploma or certificate of graduation;
Certified true copy of grades;
Certification of units earned;
Transfer credential or honorable dismissal;
Course description or syllabus; or
Documents prepared for CHED CAV.

The Education Act’s 30-day issuance rule applies to official certificates, diplomas, transcripts, grades, transfer credentials, and similar documents. For private HEIs, the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education contains additional rules:

An eligible transferring student’s transfer credential must be issued no later than two weeks after the application.
After receiving the transfer credential, the admitting HEI requests the complete record directly from the former HEI.
The former HEI must forward the record within 30 days from receiving that request.
The official transfer credential is ordinarily transferred only once to the admitting institution.
A private HEI may withhold transfer credentials when the student has an outstanding financial or property obligation or is serving a suspension or expulsion.
CHED may order release after inquiry if the institution unjustifiably refuses to release the record.

A request for a personal TOR or certified copy is not necessarily the same as the one-time official transfer of credentials. Tell the registrar the intended use so the correct version is issued.

For a personal-information correction, provide the registrar with the PSA birth certificate and any annotated civil-registry certificate, court order, adoption order, marriage record, or other document applicable to the change. CHED’s Legal and Legislative Service processes applications for correction of names in school records, but the HEI and relevant CHED Regional Office should first identify whether CHED action is necessary. A marriage certificate does not automatically require every historical diploma or record to be reissued under a married name; the result depends on the record, the requested use, and the institution’s lawful procedure.

If the school has closed, moved, merged, or changed its name

Do not assume that the record disappeared with the campus.

For a closed private basic-education school, contact the Schools Division Office that supervised the school. Give the school’s former name, address, years attended, and any available school identification details. DepEd’s current charter includes procedures for locating and validating academic records of closed private schools and for issuing a certification of non-availability when no record can be found.

For a closed, sold, merged, or consolidated HEI, contact the CHED Regional Office covering the institution’s location. CHED rules require affected HEIs to furnish transfer credentials and preserve academic records by transferring them to the surviving institution, CHED Regional Office, or National Archives as applicable. CHED reiterated this obligation in a 2025 official closure notice.

Bring every lead available, including:

Old IDs, registration forms, receipts, report cards, or TOR copies;
Diploma or graduation program;
Exact course and campus;
Inclusive years attended;
Student number;
Former names of the institution; and
Names of classmates, instructors, or administrators who may help identify archived records.

Use the official CHED Regional Offices directory to locate the responsible office.

CAV and Apostille for use abroad

Obtaining the credential is the first step. Verification for foreign use is a separate process.

For basic-education credentials, the school prepares certified records and the appropriate DepEd Regional Office issues CAV. For higher-education credentials, the HEI registrar certifies the records and CHED processes the CAV. CHED’s current online requirements generally call for a registrar-certified TOR and diploma or certificate of graduation, with additional records for certain programs or undergraduates

Quick answer

Ask the school or institution that issued the record. For basic education, contact the school head, registrar, or records custodian; for college or graduate school, contact the registrar. State exactly what you need, identify the incorrect entry if any, attach proof of identity and supporting civil documents, and obtain a dated acknowledgment.

Philippine students have the right to access their own school records and to receive official certificates, diplomas, transcripts, grades, transfer credentials, and similar documents within 30 days from request, subject to applicable laws and regulations. Parents may access records concerning children under their parental responsibility. Schools must also preserve the confidentiality of these records. These rights are stated in Sections 8 and 9 of the Education Act of 1982.

The correct procedure depends on the problem:

For a copy or replacement, request it from the issuing school or registrar.
For a basic-education transfer, the receiving and originating schools normally transmit the permanent record directly through the Learner Information System (LIS).
For a typographical error in a graduate’s basic-education record, begin with the school and the DepEd Schools Division Office (SDO).
For a major identity correction, or when the school record follows an incorrect civil-registry entry, an annotated Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) record, an administrative civil-registry decision, or a court order may be required.
For college records, begin with the higher education institution (HEI); escalate unresolved concerns to the appropriate Commission on Higher Education Regional Office (CHEDRO).
If the school has closed, contact the DepEd SDO or CHEDRO having jurisdiction over the school’s former location.

Identify the document you actually need

Different records serve different purposes, and asking for the wrong document can cause delay.

Document	Usual purpose	Where to request
School Form 9 or SF9, formerly Form 138	Report card or record of performance for a school year	Basic-education school
School Form 10 or SF10, formerly Form 137	Permanent elementary, junior high, or senior high school academic record	Originating school; normally transmitted school-to-school for transfers
Diploma or certificate of graduation	Proof of completion or graduation	Issuing school
Certification of enrollment, graduation, or units earned	Proof of current status, completion, or credited units	School or HEI registrar
Official Transcript of Records or TOR	Complete college or graduate academic record	HEI registrar
Transfer credential or honorable dismissal	College transfer authorization	HEI last attended
Certification, Authentication and Verification or CAV	Government verification of the issuing institution and academic document	DepEd, CHED, or TESDA, depending on the credential
Apostille	Authentication for use in another country that accepts Apostilles	Department of Foreign Affairs after the required CAV or other preliminary certification
TESDA National Certificate or Certificate of Competency	Proof of assessed technical competency	TESDA office that issued the certificate

A CAV or Apostille does not replace the underlying diploma, TOR, or school record. Correct the source document first if it contains an error.

Obtaining basic-education records

Personal copies and certifications

Submit a written request to the school head, registrar, or designated records custodian. Include:

The learner’s full name used while enrolled;
Date of birth;
Learner Reference Number, if known;
Years attended, grade level, and section;
Exact document requested;
Purpose and required number of copies;
Your contact details and preferred release method;
A copy of a valid government-issued ID; and
An authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney, plus the IDs of both persons, if a representative will transact.

For a minor, the school may ask for the parent’s or guardian’s identification and proof of relationship or authority. For an adult learner, the school should not release confidential records to another person without proper authority.

The current DepEd Citizen’s Charter describes a no-fee school process for issuing certified SF9 or SF10 records for local employment, although photocopying, courier, notarization, or other external expenses may still arise. Private-school charges and procedures may differ. Ask for the written fee schedule and insist on an official receipt.

Transfers between basic-education schools

For an elementary or junior high school transfer, the receiving school initiates the request for SF10 through the LIS. DepEd’s procedure makes the transaction principally school-to-school to protect the security and confidentiality of the permanent record. Learners and parents should not be required to carry the original permanent record themselves.

The current DepEd charter states that SF10 should be delivered within 30 days under DepEd Order No. 54, series of 2016. If the request remains pending, ask the receiving school to show when it submitted the LIS request and to follow up with the originating school. DepEd continues to provide transfer-dispute guidance through its official LIS support page.

A school may release an appropriately certified copy for a legitimate personal purpose, such as employment, but that is different from handing the learner the original permanent record intended for official school-to-school transmission.

Lost or damaged diploma

Ask the issuing school whether it can issue a replacement, certification of graduation, or reconstructed diploma. The available remedy depends on the school’s records and the purpose of the request.

DepEd’s current charter limits its described reconstructed diploma process to CAV purposes. It may require sworn statements from two classmates, teachers, or principals; graduation photographs or programs; or a certified Form 137/Form 138 or another record kept by a college or former employer. A marriage certificate may also be requested where relevant. Do not assume that every school can simply print an identical replacement diploma.

Correcting a basic-education record

Currently enrolled learners

Begin with the school. DepEd’s current process allows the school to validate and initiate corrections to a currently enrolled learner’s information through the LRN and LIS procedures. Submit:

A signed letter identifying every incorrect entry and the requested correction;
The record showing the error;
A PSA-issued birth certificate or other controlling document;
A valid ID; and
Any document explaining how the discrepancy occurred.

Ask the school to confirm whether the correction will update both the local paper record and the LIS. Correcting only one system can allow the error to reappear on later records.

Graduates with typographical errors

DepEd’s current Citizen’s Charter routes purely typographical corrections for graduates of public and private basic-education schools, including ALS graduates, through the SDO Legal Unit. The published checklist includes:

An original request letter identifying the entries to be corrected;
The diploma, Form 137, or SF10 containing the error;
A certification or endorsement from the school head;
A PSA Certificate of Live Birth;
An affidavit of discrepancy;
An affidavit of two disinterested persons;
A valid ID;
The appropriate authorization and IDs if filed through a representative;
A data-privacy consent form; and
For a private-school graduate, the Special Order of Graduation when applicable.

The exact number of originals and photocopies, routing, and local forms may differ by SDO. Confirm the checklist in the SDO’s current Citizen’s Charter before paying for affidavits or traveling. DepEd’s published process and current distinctions between minor and major corrections appear in its 2026 Citizen’s Charter.

Major corrections and complete identity changes

DepEd distinguishes simple typographical mistakes from major corrections requiring legal review. A request involving a complete change of identity, a change unsupported by the civil registry, or another substantial issue may need action by the DepEd Regional Office or a court order.

The school normally cannot use a correction request to disregard a controlling PSA record. If the PSA certificate itself is wrong, correct that record first and obtain a newly issued annotated certificate before asking the school to revise its records.

When the PSA birth record must be corrected first

Republic Act No. 9048 permits local civil registrars or Philippine consuls to correct qualifying clerical or typographical errors and process certain changes of first name or nickname without a court order. The law generally requires a verified petition and supporting public or private records. See Republic Act No. 9048.

Republic Act No. 10172 expanded the administrative procedure to patently clerical errors involving the day or month of birth and the person’s sex in the birth record. It does not authorize an administrative change to the year of birth, nationality, age, or legitimacy status. A sex-entry correction under this law is a remedy for an obvious clerical mistake and has specific evidentiary requirements; it is not a general procedure for every requested change of sex or gender marker. See Republic Act No. 10172 and the PSA implementing rules.

Substantial civil-registry changes outside those statutes may require a judicial proceeding under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court or another applicable law. Examples can include certain changes to parentage, legitimacy, citizenship, year of birth, or identity. The proper remedy is highly fact-dependent, so obtain legal advice before filing. Do not use affidavits alone to demand a school-record change that legally requires an annotated civil-registry record or court order.

Correcting or obtaining college and graduate-school records

Submit the request to the HEI registrar. Specify whether you need a TOR, diploma, certification of graduation, certificate of units earned, transfer credential, certified true copy, or records for CAV.

For a correction, provide the registrar with:

A detailed request letter;
The affected TOR, diploma, or other record;
A PSA birth certificate and, if applicable, an annotated PSA certificate;
The civil-registrar decision, court order, adoption decree, marriage certificate, or other document supporting the requested entry;
Current and former IDs showing the discrepancy; and
An authorization or SPA if another person will transact.

CHED’s Legal and Legislative Service processes applications involving correction of names in school records, but the HEI and the appropriate CHEDRO should first determine the necessary routing and documents. A marriage, adoption, annulment, recognition, or other status change does not always mean that every historical academic document must be reissued under a new name. The result depends on the controlling civil record, the nature of the requested document, and applicable institutional and CHED rules.

College transfers

Under the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education:

An eligible student may obtain transfer credentials;
A transfer credential should be issued within two weeks after the transfer application;
The admitting HEI requests the complete school record or TOR directly from the former HEI;
The former HEI should forward that record within 30 days after receiving the request; and
Transfer credentials are transmitted only once to the admitting HEI.

For private HEIs, outstanding financial or property obligations, suspension, or expulsion can affect the release of transfer credentials. The HEI may withhold them until the obligation is settled or the applicable penalty ends. However, CHED may order release after an inquiry if it finds that the institution unjustifiably refused to release the records. Ask for a written accounting, the specific policy relied upon, and the formal clearance or appeal procedure.

This private-HEI exception should not be confused with a blanket power to ignore every request for access or every statutory deadline. The type of record, the requester’s status, the alleged obligation, and the governing school rules all matter.

If the school has closed, merged, or changed ownership

Do not rely only on old telephone numbers or social-media pages. First identify the school’s exact former name, campus, address, program, and years of attendance.

For a closed basic-education school, contact the DepEd SDO covering the school’s former location. Ask which office or successor school has custody of its academic records. DepEd has a specific process for records of closed private schools.

For a closed HEI, contact the appropriate CHEDRO. CHED rules require affected institutions to furnish transfer credentials and preserve academic records by turning them over to the surviving HEI, CHEDRO, or National Archives, as applicable. A 2025 CHED closure notice illustrates this preservation requirement. See the CHED notice on closed programs and student records.

If no complete record can be located, ask for a written certification of non-availability and a list of acceptable secondary evidence. Old report cards, certified copies lodged with another school, employer files, graduation programs, class photographs, Special Orders of Graduation, and sworn statements may assist reconstruction, but their sufficiency must be determined by the authorized records custodian.

CAV and Apostille for overseas use

Confirm first what the foreign employer, school, licensing body, or immigration authority actually requires. Some accept an official school-sealed record; others require CAV, Apostille, direct electronic verification, or a credential evaluation.

For higher-education records, CHED’s current eCAV requirements generally call for a registrar-certified TOR and a diploma or certificate of graduation. Undergraduates may instead need a certificate of units earned and, where applicable, a certificate of enrollment. Check the official CHED eCAV requirements.

For DepEd records, the school prepares certified documents and the DepEd Regional Office handles CAV. For foreign use, the DFA’s documentary requirements generally call for school-certified copies and the appropriate DepEd, CHED, or TESDA CAV. Verify the current route at the DFA Apostille documentary-requirements page.

As of March 2026, CHED eCAVs may be processed into electronic Apostilles online. Procedures can change, so use the official DFA Apostille portal rather than a fixer or an unofficial appointment service.

TESDA certificates

A TESDA National Certificate or Certificate of Competency is corrected or replaced through the TESDA office that issued it.

TESDA’s published requirements include:

For a lost NC or COC: request letter, notarized affidavit of loss, and passport-size photograph;
For a damaged certificate: request letter, original certificate, and photograph; and
For an erroneous entry: request letter, original certificate, photograph, and a certified copy of the passport or birth certificate.

A representative generally needs an SPA, and the claimant must present the official receipt and valid ID. See TESDA’s assessment and certification procedures. Certificate status can also be checked through the TESDA Registry of Certified Workers.

Evidence to preserve

Keep a complete file containing:

The signed request and all attachments;
Proof of submission, such as a receiving stamp, email acknowledgment, courier tracking, or portal reference number;
Official receipts;
Screenshots of the school’s stated procedure and processing period;
Copies of every incorrect and corrected record;
PSA certificates and annotations;
Civil-registrar decisions or court orders;
Names, positions, and contact details of persons spoken to;
Dates and summaries of calls or visits;
Written explanations for any denial or delay; and
Proof of an approaching enrollment, employment, examination, visa, or licensing deadline.

Scan original documents before surrendering them. If an original must be retained, ask for a written acknowledgment identifying the document and the expected return or release date.

Common mistakes to avoid

Asking CHED or DepEd to issue a document that remains in the school’s custody;
Hand-carrying an original SF10/Form 137 during a transfer when it should move school-to-school;
Requesting a CAV or Apostille before correcting the underlying document;
Treating a substantive identity change as a simple spelling correction;
Assuming that an affidavit can override an uncorrected PSA record;
Asking for a “grade correction” through a personal-information correction process;
Submitting inconsistent spellings across the request, IDs, and PSA documents;
Giving original records to an employee without obtaining a receipt;
Paying an unofficial intermediary or accepting a credential without an official receipt;
Altering, retouching, or recreating a school record yourself; and
Waiting until the final day of an application or overseas-document deadline.

A disputed grade is ordinarily an academic-record matter, not merely a data-entry correction. Ask for the grading sheet, computation, or other available basis and use the school’s academic appeal process. The right to rectify inaccurate personal data does not create a right to replace a valid academic judgment with a preferred grade.

If the school refuses or does not act

Send a concise written follow-up referring to the original request date, the exact record, and the 30-day right under the Education Act. Ask the school to state in writing:

Whether the request is complete;
What requirement remains missing;
Who currently has custody of the record;
The legal or policy basis for any refusal;
The applicable fee or outstanding obligation; and
The definite release or decision date.

Then escalate appropriately:

Basic education: School head, then the DepEd Schools Division Office, and when necessary the DepEd Regional Office.
College or graduate school: Registrar or school president, then the appropriate CHED Regional Office.
TESDA credential: TESDA issuing office, then the provincial or regional office.
Inaccurate personal data or improper disclosure: The institution’s data protection officer, then the National Privacy Commission after using the available internal remedy.

The Data Privacy Act gives a data subject the right to dispute inaccurate personal data and seek rectification. That right does not dispense with a court order or official process required by another law. See the NPC’s guidance on the right to rectify and its Data Privacy Act implementing rules.

When legal help is urgent

Consult a Philippine lawyer promptly when:

The requested correction involves identity, parentage, legitimacy, citizenship, year of birth, or another substantial civil-registry entry;
The school demands a court order or rejects an annotated PSA certificate;
Different institutions have issued conflicting official records;
A school alleges fraud, falsification, tampering, or impersonation;
Records appear to have been lost, destroyed, or deliberately altered;
A private HEI is withholding credentials for a disputed obligation;
The 30-day period has passed and the delay threatens enrollment, employment, immigration, a board examination, or a professional license;
The school has closed and no custodian can be found; or
The matter may require a Rule 108 court proceeding or an injunction.

Frequently asked questions

Can a parent request Form 137 directly?

A parent may access records concerning a minor child, but for a school transfer the permanent record is normally transmitted directly between the originating and receiving schools. A certified copy for another legitimate purpose may follow a different process.

How long should issuance take?

The Education Act provides a general maximum of 30 days from request for official certificates, diplomas, transcripts, grades, transfer credentials, and similar documents. Some DepEd and school procedures specify shorter processing times. Incomplete requirements, justified legal restrictions, unavailable archives, or a permitted private-HEI hold may affect the result.

Can a school correct my name using only an affidavit?

Usually not when the requested name conflicts with the controlling civil-registry record. An affidavit can explain a discrepancy, but the school may still require an annotated PSA certificate, civil-registrar decision, or court order.

Does marriage automatically require a new diploma?

No. A marriage certificate may support use of a married name, but it does not necessarily require the school to rewrite a historical diploma. Ask whether the school can issue a certification connecting the names, annotate its records, or issue a replacement under its rules.

Can another person request or collect my records?

Usually yes if the institution permits representation and the person presents the required authorization or SPA and valid IDs. More sensitive transactions may require personal appearance.

What if the school says my record cannot be found?

Ask for a written certification of non-availability, the identity of the official custodian, and the reconstruction procedure. Contact the DepEd SDO or CHEDRO if the school has closed or transferred its archives.

Is CAV always required?

No. It is generally needed only when the receiving organization requires government verification, often for overseas employment, study, licensure, immigration, or Apostille processing.

Can the Data Privacy Act force a grade change?

It can support correction of objectively inaccurate personal data, but it does not by itself overturn a properly determined grade or eliminate the school’s academic review process.

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not advice for a particular case. Requirements can vary by institution, region, document, and factual history. Official legal and procedural sources were checked as of July 23, 2026.