Transgender Filipinos and survivors of gender-based violence and child abuse may gain access to a streamlined legal mechanism for changing their names under House Bill No. 9929, the “Lived Identities and Recognition Act (LIRA),” known as the “Sharmaine Bill,” filed on June 23.
Representatives Atty. Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, Perci Cendaña, and Dadah Kiram Ismula of the Akbayan Party-list, along with Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao jointly introduced the bill on Pride month.
Recognizing the lived identities of transgender, intersex, and non-binary Filipinos, the bill seeks to allow Filipinos to modify their legal name and gender records through local civil registries rather than “costly court proceedings.”
The proposal was supported with a provision from the Clerical Error Law, Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172, which states that changes in first names or nicknames through the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) without the need for a judicial order is allowed as long as the name already used.
“The petition for change of first name may be allowed, among other grounds, if the new first name has been habitually and continuously used by the petitioner and he or she has been publicly known by that first name in the community,” the legislation read.
Cendaña, in a Facebook post, clarified that the names of trans people and intersex Filipinos often lead to ridicule and discrimination, as they are frequently mocked because of the names appearing in their legal documents.
Name inspiration for the measure was rooted from a viral TikTok video joking that an orange should be called “Sharmaine” instead of being named after its color.
“Kung gets natin agad na Sharmaine ang gustong pangalan ng isang orange sa Tiktok, kayang-kaya rin natin i-extend ang ganitong pag-unawa sa mga trans at intersex nating kapatid. Deserve nilang kilalanin ng batas sa pangalang nakasanayan nila at sa kung sino talaga sila,” Cendaña wrote.
Among those who reacted positively were the Pioneer Filipino Transgender Men Movement (FTM), a transgender men’s organization, which expressed gratitude for the bill and for Cendaña’s engagement with transgender communities and support for the legislation in its draft version.
“The filing of the Lived Identities Recognition Act (LIRA) marks one of the most significant efforts in recent Philippine legislative history to recognize transgender people under the law,” the movement said.
LIRA’s filing is described by the movement as a “landmark moment” that affirms a fundamental principle: “transgender people exist, and their identities deserve recognition.”
“While much work remains ahead in the legislative process, this bill represents an important step toward a Philippines where transgender and gender-diverse people can live more safely, freely, and authentically,” it said.
Akbayan Youth, the official youth wing and student formation, also expressed support for the bill, citing its assistance in removing unnecessary hurdles to recognition and advancing equality.
