Here’s a practical, everything-you-need-to-know legal article—Philippine context—on removing a middle name from a child’s birth certificate. I’m writing from established doctrine and standard civil registry practice (no web look-ups as requested). If you’ll use this in an actual case, always confirm the current text of the Rules of Court, the Family Code, the Civil Registry laws (R.A. 9048 as amended by R.A. 10172), and PSA/LCRO circulars in force in your locality.

1) Middle names in Philippine law—what they mean

Legitimate child (parents married to each other): The “middle name” is customarily the mother’s maiden surname; the “last name/surname” is the father’s.
Illegitimate child (parents not married):
- If using the mother’s surname (default), the child ordinarily has no middle name.
- If the father acknowledges the child and the child uses the father’s surname (under R.A. 9255 and related regs), civil registry practice is that the mother’s surname becomes the middle name.
Because the middle name signals filiation, removing it is not a trivial clerical fix. Whether you can remove it—and how—depends on why it’s there in the first place.

2) Two very different legal tracks

A. Administrative correction (civil registrar/PSA) — under R.A. 9048 (as amended by R.A. 10172)

Covers clerical/typographical errors and change of first name/nickname; also correction of day/month of birth and sex if obviously clerical.
Generally does not cover changes to surnames or substantive changes to filiation. Middle names fall in a gray area: they can be touched only if the error is purely clerical (e.g., an LCRO typo) or the entry should not have existed at all under the rules (see §4 below).

B. Judicial petition (Regional Trial Court) — Rule 103/108, Rules of Court

Use when the change alters civil status or filiation, or is not merely clerical—for example, a legitimate child wanting to delete a middle name, or to replace it for personal reasons that are not clerical.
The proceeding requires publication/notice and proof of proper and reasonable cause. Courts scrutinize these petitions because names implicate public order, identity, and third-party rights.

3) First question to answer: Why is the middle name there?

It was a typo or a registrar’s overreach.
- Example: An illegitimate child recorded with a middle name despite using the mother’s surname (should have no middle name).
- Remedy: Administrative correction under R.A. 9048 to delete the erroneous middle name as a clerical error.
It’s consistent with filiation, but the parent now wants it gone.
- Example: Legitimate child properly bearing mother’s maiden surname as middle name; or an RA 9255 child correctly bearing mother’s surname as middle name after taking father’s surname.
- Remedy: Judicial—ask the RTC to drop the middle name; must show compelling, reasonable cause (e.g., persistent confusion, safety concerns, misuse, or other substantial reasons). Mere preference is usually insufficient.
Status changed after birth (legitimation/adoption/rectification).
- After legitimation (parents later marry) or adoption, the child’s full name—including middle name—is re-patterned by law. If the current PSA record still shows a middle name inconsistent with the new status, you correct via administrative route based on the legitimation/adoption papers.
- If you want to remove a middle name even though the new status would normally add or keep one, that’s again a judicial question.

4) When removal is usually administrative (R.A. 9048/10172)

You can normally proceed at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) if you can show any of the following:

Illegitimate child using the mother’s surname but PSA copy shows a middle name—this is typically a clerical error.
Obvious typographical middle name (misspelled, duplicated, or a stray entry in the wrong box) where supporting documents (Affidavit of Two Disinterested Persons, school/medical/baptismal records, parent IDs) show the child never used that middle name.
Wrongly applied RA 9255 pattern (e.g., child uses the father’s surname without valid acknowledgment/affidavit; registrar pre-filled a middle name without basis). The fix is to strike the middle name and/or revert the surname pattern to the valid one.

How to file (administrative):

Where: LCRO of the place where the birth was recorded, or LCRO of the petitioner’s residence (which forwards to the record-keeping LCRO).
Who: Parent/guardian (if minor) or the registrant (if of age).
Papers to prepare:
- Petition under oath (R.A. 9048 form), stating facts, the exact entry to be deleted, and the legal basis (clerical error/erroneous entry).
- Supporting docs: PSA-issued birth certificate (SECPA), IDs, parent’s civil status documents (marriage cert if any), evidence of usage (school/medical/baptismal), Affidavit of Discrepancy, and Affidavit of Two Disinterested Persons.
- If the issue intertwines with RA 9255 (use of father’s surname), attach the Acknowledgment, Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father (AUSF), or show why they do not apply.
Process & outcome: LCRO evaluates, may post notice, then approves/denies. If approved, the LCRO annotates the civil registry record and forwards to PSA for issuance of an annotated PSA copy.

5) When removal is judicial (Rule 103/108)

Use the RTC route when the change is substantive—i.e., it affects filiation or deviates from standard patterns even though the existing record is correct under status rules. Typical examples:

Parent seeks to drop a legitimate child’s middle name (mother’s maiden surname) for personal preference or branding.
Parent wants the child to bear no middle name notwithstanding an acknowledged paternal surname (i.e., to unsettle the RA 9255 pattern).
The case involves conflicting claims of filiation, ongoing custody or inheritance disputes, or the removal might prejudice third parties (e.g., creditors, schools, passport records).

Judicial basics:

Petition: Verified, under Rule 103 (change of name) and/or Rule 108 (cancellation/correction of entries). Some practitioners combine reliefs in one petition and implead the LCRO, PSA, and other interested parties.
Venue: RTC where the petitioner resides.
Publication & notice: Required so the public and interested parties can oppose.
Standard of proof: Show proper and reasonable cause—not mere whim. Courts weigh consistency of public records, potential confusion, child’s best interests, absence of fraud/evasion, and societal usage.
Decree & implementation: Upon grant, the RTC decision is registered with the LCRO/PSA; PSA then issues an annotated birth certificate reflecting the change.

6) Special status changes that indirectly cause removal

Adoption (now largely administrative under R.A. 11642): The child’s amended birth record is issued; the middle name typically follows the adoptive mother’s maiden surname (if spouses adopt) or is set per regulations. If the first record carried a middle name inconsistent with the adoption decree, that earlier middle name is superseded (effectively “removed”) by the amended record.
Legitimation (parents marry after birth): The child becomes legitimate; the naming pattern changes. If the pre-legitimation certificate had no middle name (as is usual for an illegitimate child using the mother’s surname), post-legitimation the new record adds a middle name (mother’s maiden surname). You cannot remove that by admin petition; you would need judicial relief to deviate.

7) Evidence you’ll need (whichever route)

PSA Birth Certificate (SECPA) and LCRO copy if available.
Parents’ civil status documents (PSA CENOMAR/Marriage Cert/Judgments).
Usage trail: school forms, baptismal/medical records, PhilHealth, PhilID, passports, IDs—showing whether the middle name was (or was not) used over time.
Affidavits: of parents/guardian and two disinterested persons.
Status papers: AUSF/acknowledgment (RA 9255), adoption/legitimation documents, court orders in related cases (if any).

8) Practical pathways (decision tree)

Step 1 — Identify status at birth and today

Illegitimate using mother’s surname → middle name should be blank. If something is printed there, it’s likely clerical ⇒ Admin removal.
Illegitimate using father’s surname (RA 9255) → middle name is usually the mother’s surname. Removing it means deviating from filiation pattern ⇒ Judicial.
Legitimate (parents married) → middle name is mother’s maiden surname. Removing it is substantive ⇒ Judicial—show compelling reason.

Step 2 — Check if the entry is plainly a clerical mistake

Misspelled/duplicated/stray middle name, or a registrar-inserted middle name where the child should have none by rule ⇒ Admin.

Step 3 — If judicial, build “proper and reasonable cause”

Confusion across government records, risk of harm/safety, stigma, or continuous usage without the middle name from early childhood, with no intent to defraud. Prepare to publish and notify interested parties.

9) Where to file, fees, and timelines (overview)

Administrative (LCRO/PSA):

Where: LCRO of record or of petitioner’s residence (the latter forwards).
Fees: Filing fee plus documentary/annotation fees (vary by LGU; expect a few thousand pesos plus PSA copy fees).
Timeline: Weeks to months from filing to PSA issuance of annotated copies, depending on LCRO/PSA workload and any required postings.

Judicial (RTC):

Where: RTC of petitioner’s residence.
Fees: Filing fees, publication costs, counsel’s fees.
Timeline: Commonly several months; faster/slower depending on docket, opposition, and completeness of evidence.

10) Downstream housekeeping once approved

Request new PSA copies (annotated).
Update the child’s school records, PhilID, passport/DOJ travel clearance (if any), PhilHealth, GSIS/SSS (if dependent), bank accounts, and vaccination/medical records. Bring the LCRO/RTC order and annotated PSA copies to prevent mismatches.

11) Frequent edge cases & answers

Q: The child is illegitimate, uses the mother’s surname, but the PSA shows a middle name. Can we delete it without going to court? A: Usually yes, via R.A. 9048 as a clerical error—submit proof that the child never validly had a middle name under that status.

Q: Parents now want a “one-word name” (no middle name) for a legitimate child. A: That’s a judicial change. Courts require proper and reasonable cause; uniformity across records and absence of fraud are key.

Q: We changed to the father’s surname under R.A. 9255 but don’t want any middle name. A: Judicial. The civil registry pattern pairs the father’s surname with the mother’s surname as middle name to reflect filiation.

Q: The LCRO says middle names can never be corrected. A: Not quite. Clerical middle-name errors (or entries that shouldn’t exist under the status rules) can be administratively corrected. Substantive changes go to court.

Q: Will removal affect inheritance/custody? A: Names don’t change filiation or parental authority by themselves, but they can create evidentiary confusion. Keep certified copies of the order and PSA records handy.

12) Drafting tips (to speed approval)

For administrative petitions (R.A. 9048):

Quote the exact box/entry to be deleted (“Middle Name: ____”), and state that under the child’s status the entry is not supposed to exist or is clerical.
Attach consistent usage records from early life (school, immunization, baptismal).
Include an LCRO-addressed cover letter explaining the status rule (e.g., “Illegitimate child using mother’s surname has no middle name”).

For judicial petitions (RTC):

Plead both Rule 103 (change of name) and Rule 108 (cancellation/correction of entries) if needed, and implead the LCRO, the PSA, and any directly interested parties.
Lay out concrete harms/confusion from retaining the middle name; emphasize good faith, continuity of usage, and child’s best interests.
Prepare for publication and keep proof of notice.

13) Quick checklists

Administrative removal (likely cases):

Child illegitimate using mother’s surname; PSA shows a middle name → delete as clerical.
Wrong/stray middle name (typo, duplicated, or never used) with clear supporting docs.
Misapplied RA 9255 notation leading to an incorrect middle name entry.

Judicial removal (likely cases):

Legitimate child; parents want no middle name for personal reasons.
RA 9255 child using father’s surname but parents want no middle name.
Any change that recasts filiation or deviates from standard naming rules without a clerical mistake.

If you tell me the child’s status at birth, the surname currently used, and what the PSA copy actually shows in the Middle Name box, I can draft (right away) either:

a ready-to-file R.A. 9048 petition with exhibits checklist, or
a verified RTC petition (Rule 103/108) with publication prayer and a tailored “proper and reasonable cause” section.