Quick answer

Start with the office that legally keeps the record:

For elementary, junior high school, senior high school, or Alternative Learning System records, contact the school registrar or school head. For transfers, the receiving school—not the learner or parent—should request the permanent record from the former school through DepEd’s system.
For college or graduate-school records, apply first with the registrar of the higher education institution. If the institution has closed, contact the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office covering the school’s location.
For a TESDA National Certificate or Certificate of Competency, contact the TESDA office that issued the certificate.
To correct an error, submit a written request identifying the exact wrong entry, the correct entry, and the documents proving it. If the error also appears on the PSA civil-registry document, correct that underlying document first or obtain the appropriate administrative or court order.
Authentication for overseas use is a separate process. Obtain the school-issued record first, secure the appropriate DepEd, CHED, school, or TESDA Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV), and then follow the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Apostille requirements.

Schools may verify identity, protect confidential educational information, charge authorized processing fees, and require compliance with legitimate clearance rules. The Data Privacy Act supports access to and correction of personal data, but it does not entitle anyone to alter accurate grades, erase historical facts, bypass identity requirements, or obtain an official credential that was never earned.

Identify the document and its custodian

Using the correct name for the document avoids delay.

Document needed	Usual custodian or first contact
Report card	Current or former basic-education school
School Form 10 or SF10, formerly commonly called Form 137	Basic-education school; for transfers, requested school-to-school
Certificate of completion, graduation certificate, or diploma	Issuing school
College transcript of records, diploma, certification of units, or graduation certification	College or university registrar
Records of a closed college or university	CHED Regional Office or the designated records custodian identified by CHED
TESDA National Certificate or Certificate of Competency	TESDA issuing District or Provincial Office
Certified or authenticated record for overseas use	Issuing institution, followed by DepEd, CHED, the state college or university, or TESDA as applicable, and then DFA

A screenshot from a student portal, an unofficial grade printout, or a photocopy is not automatically equivalent to an official transcript, certified true copy, diploma, or authenticated record. Ask the receiving institution exactly which document, format, seal, signature, envelope, electronic-verification method, or direct-delivery arrangement it requires.

How to obtain basic-education records

When transferring to another Philippine school

Under DepEd Order No. 54, series of 2016, the official permanent record is transferred directly between the receiving and originating schools. Learners, parents, and guardians should not hand-carry the permanent record.

The normal process is:

Enroll or apply at the receiving school and provide the learner’s correct identity information and Learner Reference Number, if known.
The receiving school records the learner in the Learner Information System and requests the permanent record.
The originating school prepares and sends the record directly to the receiving school and records the dispatch.
The receiving school records receipt and follows up through the system if the document does not arrive.

For learners admitted at the start of the school year, the receiving school should secure the permanent record before the end of the first grading period. For a learner transferring during the school year, it should be secured within 30 days from the learner’s first day of attendance. If the record remains missing, the receiving school should elevate the matter to its School Governance and Operations Division.

If the permanent record is unavailable because of circumstances beyond the school’s control, DepEd Order No. 54 allows the Report on Promotions kept by the Schools Division Office to be used as a basis for an appropriate substitute record.

When the record is needed for employment, a scholarship, immigration, or another personal purpose

Apply first to the school that holds the record. If that is impractical, DepEd Order No. 54 permits a request for the permanent record or a certificate of completion or non-completion to be lodged with the Schools Division Office nearest the requester’s current address. Provide the LRN if available or, at minimum:

Full name used while enrolled;
Date and place of birth;
Name and former name of the school;
Grade level and school year last attended;
Graduation year, if applicable;
Purpose of the request;
Current contact details; and
Proof of identity and authority to request the record.

The Schools Division Office can route the request through DepEd to the division covering the last school attended. Consult the particular office’s current Citizen’s Charter before filing because its required forms, acceptable filing channels, and release arrangements may differ.

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

Contact the Schools Division Office that supervised the school. Give the school’s former name, address, years of attendance, and any proof that identifies the learner and enrollment. Ask the division to identify the lawful custodian or determine whether a completion or non-completion certification can be prepared from division records.

Do not assume that a school with no active campus has no surviving records. Its records may have been transferred to a successor school, division office, or designated custodian.

How to obtain college or university credentials

Apply through the registrar of the college or university that created the record. State whether you need:

An official or certified transcript of records;
A diploma or replacement diploma;
A certification of graduation;
A certification of units earned;
A course description or syllabus;
A transfer credential or honorable dismissal;
A record sent directly to another institution; or
A record for CHED CAV and overseas use.

Confirm the institution’s written requirements, payment method, clearance rules, processing period, delivery format, and representative policy. Private institutions, local universities and colleges, and state universities and colleges may follow different procedures.

If the institution has closed or refuses to identify the custodian, contact the appropriate office through the CHED Regional Offices directory. CHED may identify the custodian and explain whether it holds sufficient records for the requested certification. CHED cannot manufacture a transcript or confirm studies that cannot be supported by authentic institutional records.

For CAV, use the current CHED One Touch portal or follow the instructions of the responsible CHED Regional Office. CAV verifies qualifying records; it does not replace the underlying transcript or diploma.

How to replace or correct a TESDA certificate

TESDA’s current procedure directs holders to the District or Provincial Office that issued the National Certificate or Certificate of Competency.

For a lost certificate, TESDA lists:

A letter requesting replacement;
A notarized affidavit of loss; and
One colored passport-size photograph.

For a damaged certificate, submit the request letter, original damaged certificate, and photograph.

For an erroneous entry, submit:

A letter identifying the error and requested correction;
The original certificate;
One colored passport-size photograph; and
A certified photocopy of the passport or birth certificate.

A representative generally needs a Special Power of Attorney. TESDA also requires the relevant official receipt and identification when the certificate is claimed. Its published procedure states that successful new applicants may claim an NC or COC seven working days after applying for issuance. Requirements for renewal or assessment may be different. See TESDA’s official assessment and certification procedures.

How to correct a school record

Step 1: Compare every source document

Check the disputed entry against:

The latest PSA certificate of live birth;
Any annotated PSA certificate;
A passport or other government-issued identification;
Earlier school records;
Enrollment forms;
Baptismal or medical records, where relevant;
A marriage certificate;
Adoption, recognition, legitimation, or naturalization documents;
A final court order; and
Records showing the correct grade, subject, school year, or graduation status.

Determine whether the problem began in the civil registry, during school enrollment, in the school’s database, or only when a diploma or transcript was printed.

Step 2: Make a precise written request

Address the request to the registrar or school head. State:

The document and entry that are wrong;
The entry presently shown;
The exact replacement or annotation requested;
Why the existing entry is inaccurate;
The documents supporting the correction;
Whether the same error appears in other school systems or credentials; and
Any deadline imposed by an employer, school, licensing body, embassy, or foreign institution.

Ask for a stamped receiving copy, reference number, or email acknowledgment. If the request is denied, ask for the decision and its legal or policy basis in writing.

Step 3: Follow the correct route

For a currently enrolled basic-education learner, the school generally validates the documents and initiates the correction in the learner’s record using the LRN.

For a graduate of a public or private basic-education school, a correction of a purely typographical entry may require a resolution from the Schools Division Superintendent. A current official DepEd division correction service lists documents such as a request letter, the affected diploma or permanent record, school-head endorsement, PSA birth certificate, affidavit of discrepancy, affidavits of disinterested persons, identification, privacy consent, and—when applicable—a private-school graduation Special Order. Requirements are not necessarily identical in every division, so use the current Citizen’s Charter of the responsible Schools Division Office.

For college records, submit the correction request to the registrar under the institution’s approved procedure. CHED CAV applications involving a prior name correction may require the institution’s certification of correction and supporting civil-registry documents.

Step 4: Correct the civil-registry record when necessary

A school should not be asked to contradict the controlling civil-registry document without a legally sufficient basis.

Under Republic Act No. 9048, the local civil registrar or Philippine consul may administratively correct qualifying clerical or typographical errors and may approve a qualifying change of first name or nickname. Republic Act No. 10172 extends the administrative process to a patently clerical error in the day or month of birth or in the recorded sex, subject to its evidence and publication requirements.

These laws do not provide an administrative shortcut for every identity dispute. A correction involving the year of birth, nationality, civil status, filiation, legitimacy, or another substantial or contested matter may require an adversarial court proceeding under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court. Obtain advice from a Philippine lawyer before selecting a judicial remedy because the proper parties, evidence, venue, notice, and publication requirements depend on the requested change.

After the PSA or local civil-registry record is corrected or annotated, obtain a new official copy and return to the school with the complete supporting documents.

Step 5: Ask for linked records to be updated

Specify every affected record, including the enrollment database, permanent record, transcript, diploma, graduation list, certifications, alumni database, and electronic-verification system.

The Data Privacy Act of 2012 generally gives a data subject reasonable access to personal information and the right to dispute inaccuracies and seek correction, unless the request is vexatious or otherwise unreasonable. It also requires personal data to be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.

This does not permit alteration of an accurate historical record. A school may retain both the former and corrected information, record an annotation, or require a traceable audit history. A change of surname after graduation, for example, may be handled through linkage documents or an annotation instead of rewriting the name historically used when the degree was awarded.

Grade and academic-status disputes are different

A misspelled name is not the same as a contested grade, failed subject, disciplinary finding, attendance record, or graduation status.

For an academic dispute:

Obtain the relevant student handbook and grievance or grade-appeal policy.
Act within any internal deadline; there is no single national appeal period applicable to every institution.
Identify whether the alleged error is mathematical, encoding-related, procedural, or an objection to academic evaluation.
Submit the issue first to the teacher or faculty member where the rules require it, then to the department chair, dean, registrar, or designated grievance body.
Preserve graded work, rubrics, class records, LMS logs, examination papers that were lawfully returned, emails, enrollment records, and the version of the handbook applicable at the time.

The right to correct inaccurate personal data does not require a school to replace a supported academic judgment with the student’s preferred result. A regulator or court will ordinarily need records showing an actual error, violation of the institution’s rules, denial of a required process, or another legally cognizable basis.

Who may request or receive the record

Educational information is sensitive personal information under the Data Privacy Act. Schools must verify the requester and protect records from unauthorized disclosure.

An adult student should normally make the request personally or give a representative written authority in the form required by the institution. A parent does not automatically gain unrestricted access to an adult child’s records merely because the parent paid tuition.

For a minor, the school may require proof of parental authority, guardianship, custody, or other lawful representation. Where custody, adoption, guardianship, or family authority is disputed, the school may properly ask for additional documents or legal guidance.

A representative may be required to present:

An authorization letter or Special Power of Attorney;
Copies and originals of the student’s and representative’s valid IDs;
Proof of relationship or authority; and
The claim stub, receipt, or other release document.

Use secure channels. Do not post transcripts, birth certificates, student numbers, QR codes, or signatures publicly while seeking help.

Can a school withhold records because of unpaid fees?

There is no safe blanket answer without distinguishing the kind of school, debt, and record.

Republic Act No. 11984, the No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act, protects qualifying disadvantaged students’ ability to take examinations, subject to its requirements. It expressly preserves an educational institution’s power to require a promissory note, withhold records and credentials, and use lawful collection remedies for unpaid fees. Protection from a “no permit, no exam” rule therefore does not automatically compel the release of credentials despite an unpaid balance.

For public basic education, DepEd Order No. 54 separately reiterates that nonpayment of voluntary school contributions or membership fees must not be used as the basis for non-admission, non-promotion, or non-issuance of clearance.

If records are withheld:

Ask for an itemized statement of account and the written policy relied upon.
Separate tuition or authorized school fees from voluntary contributions, disputed charges, or undocumented amounts.
Propose a payment arrangement or promissory note if appropriate.
Ask whether an unofficial copy, certification, or direct verification can be provided pending settlement.
Elevate an apparently unauthorized charge or inconsistent policy to DepEd, CHED, or TESDA, as applicable.

The Data Privacy Act’s access right does not necessarily require the school to issue a regulated official credential, waive lawful fees, or disregard a legally valid hold.

Processing times and government-office delays

For a public school, Schools Division Office, CHED office, TESDA office, or other government custodian, check the service’s current Citizen’s Charter. It should list the complete requirements, fees, responsible personnel, processing period, and complaint procedure.

Under Republic Act No. 11032, government requests with complete requirements generally must be acted upon within:

Three working days for a simple transaction;
Seven working days for a complex transaction; or
Twenty working days for a highly technical transaction or one involving specified public-interest concerns.

A lawful special period or the agency’s classification may apply. The permitted extension is limited and requires written notice before the original period expires. These statutory periods begin when the complete request, supporting documents, and required payment have been received—not when an incomplete inquiry is first made.

Private schools are not automatically governed by these government-service timelines. Their written policies, regulatory obligations, and the circumstances of the request must be examined.

Authentication and overseas use

Ask the foreign school, employer, licensing authority, or immigration office exactly what it requires before paying for authentication.

The DFA’s current documentary requirements for school records distinguish among:

Elementary and high-school records: school-certified copies plus CAV from the DepEd Regional Office;
Technical-vocational records: school-certified copies plus CAV from the TESDA Regional Office;
State college or university records: certified copies and CAV from the state institution;
Private or local college and university records: school-certified copies plus CHED CAV, currently ordered through CHED One Touch.

An Apostille authenticates the origin, signature, seal, or official capacity connected with a public document. It does not certify that every factual statement in the transcript or diploma is true.

Since March 16, 2026, eligible CHED eCAVs for use in Apostille Convention countries are processed through the DFA’s fully digital Apostille system. Paper authentication and foreign-embassy legalization may still be required for non-Apostille destinations. Always verify the destination country and end-user requirements through the DFA Authentication Division.

Evidence to preserve

Keep organized copies of:

The incorrect and corrected documents;
PSA certificates and annotations;
IDs and authorization documents;
Enrollment forms and earlier school records;
Receipts and statements of account;
Request letters and complete attachments;
Email headers, portal confirmations, tracking numbers, and courier receipts;
Names, positions, dates, and summaries of conversations;
Written denials or deficiency notices;
The applicable student handbook and Citizen’s Charter;
Scholarship, admission, employment, licensing, or immigration deadlines; and
Proof of any harm caused by an inaccurate record or unreasonable disclosure.

Send important follow-ups in writing. A polite email confirming an oral conversation can establish what was requested, what documents were submitted, and what the office promised to do.

Common mistakes

Asking CHED or DepEd to issue a document that must first come from the school.
Hand-carrying an official permanent record during a basic-education transfer.
Requesting a school correction while the PSA record still contains the same error.
Treating a post-graduation change of name as proof that the original record was false.
Asking for a “Form 137” without explaining whether the receiving party needs an SF10, certified copy, direct school-to-school transfer, or CAV.
Filing through an unofficial social-media page, fixer, or unverified payment account.
Sending original documents without retaining scans and proof of delivery.
Ignoring the school’s grade-appeal or grievance deadline.
Assuming that CAV or an Apostille corrects the contents of a record.
Allowing an unauthorized person to request an adult student’s transcript.
Altering, cropping, or retyping an official credential instead of requesting a correction or replacement.

When to escalate

Use a written escalation path:

Basic education: registrar or school head, then the Schools Division Office’s School Governance and Operations Division, Records Section, Legal Unit, or Schools Division Superintendent; then the DepEd Regional Office where appropriate.
Higher education: registrar, dean or designated grievance office, and institution president or authorized official; then the appropriate CHED Regional Office.
Technical-vocational records: issuing TESDA District or Provincial Office, then the TESDA Regional Office.
Government-service delay or Citizen’s Charter violation: the agency’s complaints desk and, if necessary, the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s electronic complaint system.
Inaccurate or unlawfully disclosed personal data: the school’s Data Protection Officer, followed when appropriate by the National Privacy Commission.

Under the 2021 NPC Rules of Procedure, a complainant ordinarily must first inform the school or other personal-information controller in writing and give it an opportunity to act. A complaint may proceed if it takes no timely or appropriate action or gives no response within 15 calendar days from receiving the written notice, subject to the NPC’s rules and exceptions.

Seek legal help promptly when:

The requested change affects birth year, filiation, legitimacy, nationality, civil status, adoption, or another substantial civil-registry matter;
A court order may be necessary;
Two people claim conflicting rights over a minor’s record;
Records appear falsified, destroyed, altered, or released to an unauthorized person;
A school denies that the learner attended or graduated despite substantial evidence;
An imminent board examination, admission, visa, scholarship, or employment deadline may be lost; or
The dispute involves significant damages, discrimination, retaliation, or possible criminal conduct.

Frequently asked questions

Can I personally collect my Form 137 or SF10?

For a transfer between Philippine basic-education schools, the official permanent record should be sent directly from the originating school to the receiving school. For another legitimate purpose, a record or certification may be released through the procedure of the school or Schools Division Office after identity and purpose are verified.

What if I do not know my LRN?

Give the school or Schools Division Office your complete name used while enrolled, birth details, school name, grade level, and years attended. The LRN helps but DepEd Order No. 54 also contemplates requests using the name of the last school attended.

Can I demand a new diploma after changing my surname?

You may request one, but a new diploma is not automatic. The institution may retain the name used at graduation and issue a certification or annotation linking it to the current legal name. Ask the intended recipient whether the original diploma plus a PSA marriage certificate, annotated birth certificate, court order, or school certification will suffice.

Is an affidavit of discrepancy enough to correct a record?

Not always. It supports the explanation but does not override a conflicting PSA certificate, establish a contested civil status, or replace a required administrative or judicial order.

Can a school simply erase the old entry?

Usually, correction should preserve an accountable history. The Data Privacy Act itself contemplates accessibility of corrected and retracted information and notice to prior recipients upon reasonable request. A registrar may annotate or retain both entries rather than destroy the historical record.

What if my former school says the record was lost in a fire or flood?

Ask for a written certification describing the loss and the search performed. For basic education, contact the Schools Division Office about the Report on Promotions or other division-held records. For higher education, contact CHED to identify any custodian or archived graduation record. Preserve personal copies, receipts, IDs, class photographs, and contemporaneous documents, but understand that informal evidence may not be enough to recreate an official transcript.

Do I need an Apostille for use in the Philippines?

No. DFA Apostilles are for Philippine public documents intended for use abroad. A local recipient may ask for a certified copy, direct verification, or CAV, but not a DFA Apostille merely for domestic use.

Does an Apostille prove that I earned the degree?

No. It authenticates the public-document origin or official signature and seal. The school, CHED, DepEd, TESDA, or another competent authority determines whether the underlying credential is authentic and properly supported.

Official references

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not advice for a particular dispute. Requirements may depend on the type of institution, its current Citizen’s Charter or student handbook, the evidence available, and the intended use of the credential. Official sources and procedures were checked as of August 11, 2026.