I.   Who May Name or Rename

1.    All public places may be named or renamed by the President, through a proclamation, or by Congress, through legislation.

1.a.    Local government units can not rename public place if the original name was created by an act of Congress or by a proclamation of the President of the Philippines;

1.b.    No national road, school, hospital and other national property can be named or renamed by a local government unit.

2.    Public places under the jurisdiction of the local governments with the exception of barangays may be named or renamed by the local government unit concerned  (e.g. a provincial road cannot be renamed by a municipal or city government)

2.a.  The change of name of any local government unit shall be effective only upon ratification in a plebiscite conducted for the purpose in the political unit directly affected.  (Letter “f” of  Sec. 13 of Local Government Code)

3.    The sanggunians of component cities and municipalities may, in consultation with the National Historical Institute, change the name of streets, roads, schools, health facilities or any other public place or building within its territorial jurisdiction (see “c” Sec. 13 of Local Government Code)

4.    Renaming of a public school shall be made only upon the recommendation of the local school board concerned, while those of public hospitals, health centers, and other health facilities shall be made only upon the recommendation of the local health board concerned (Letters “e” and “f” of Section 13 of Local Government Code)

II. What May Be Renamed

1. Present names of provinces, cities, towns and barangays may be renamed provided that the renaming shall be a reversion to their old names, found to be more culturally and historically significant.

2. National roads, schools, bridges, buildings, plazas and other structures can be renamed by the Office of the President or the Congress of the Philippines.

3. Public roads, schools, bridges, buildings and other structures under the jurisdiction of the local governments may be renamed by the local government unit concerned;

III. Character of Names

1. Proposed names must have historical and cultural significance and must contribute to the positive development of national pride through the good example exhibited by the name being used.

2. Recommended names for public places should be appropriate in terms of historical value and significance to the place to be named or renamed.

3. Indigenous names of roads, streets, barangays and other places should always be preserved especially if that name is unique to the place.  (e.g. places named Sampaguita, Tagaytay, Kundiman, Tayuman, etc.,  should not be renamed).

4. Hispanized and foreign terms should be retained if they have attained a degree of historical significance and has been sanctified by usage.

5. The use of Filipino words should be encouraged in the naming or renaming of streets, plazas and other public places.

6. Names should be short and simple for practical and aesthetic reasons. However, the use of nicknames or aliases in the naming of public places should be discouraged.

7. The use of names which are complicated and confusing shall be discouraged.  In cases where the name and initials are the same with other prominent personages, the full name of the person intended to be honored should be specified.

8. Schools, hospitals and other public structures named after the province or municipality are considered appropriately named and, therefore, shall not be renamed. *

9. The old name, of streets, schools, hospitals, etc., which have been sanctified by usage by the residents of the community, should be placed underneath the new name in the signage to facilitate the delivery of postal matter and serve as direct guide for people accustomed to the former names.

10. Natural features such as islands, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, plains shall not be renamed, unless there are being reverted to their old indigenous names.*

IV. Naming/Renaming after Persons

1. Street, plaza or any public place may be named or renamed to honor a person or family who contributed to the welfare of the Filipino people.

2. Streets bearing the names of religious personalities identified with the national movement should be retained or recommended for street names as well as for other public places.

3.   Public places such as those already named after presidents, national heroes cannot be replaced with names of people of lesser importance. (e.g. places named after national heroes cannot be renamed after local heroes; places named after Presidents cannot be renamed after Senators);

4.   No local government units, institutions, places or buildings shall be named or renamed after a living person. 

5.   Roads can be named/renamed after the following:*

a. Presidents and national heroes for primary roads;
b. Senators and congressmen for secondary roads; and
c. Local officials for tertiary roads

6.   No public place should be named or renamed after a person within ten (10) years of his death except for highly exceptional reasons (e.g. his death was due to assassination in the service of the country, he/she gave exceptional service to the nation, death while trying to save others, death was a result of his patriotism, and death while in performance of one’s duty).

7.   A change of name cannot be made unless for a justifiable reason and, in any case, not oftener than once every ten (10) years.  (see letter “d” of  Sec. 13 of Local Government Code)

8.   In the naming of public places after people, the use of the word “memorial” should be deleted as it is already understood that the person being honored is already deceased.

9.   Honorific titles like “Don,” “Doña,” etc., should be deleted in naming or renaming of streets, plazas and other public places for aesthetic and practical reasons.

10.   To avoid confusion in the maintenance of records and delivery of postal matters the former name of the public place must always be recommended to be placed beneath the new name in the signage.

11.   No public place should be named or renamed after a person when questionable propriety might arise from the said act.

IV. Historical Significance

1.   No public place should be renamed if the present name has attained a degree of historical association and has developed an importance of its own.

2.   Names of places, which have been sanctified by long usage by the people, shall be retained and preserved.

3.   Names of public places named after foreigners or places with foreign names may be retained if these names were associated with the place and attained a degree of historical significance.

V. Aesthetic Unity

1. No street or road should be renamed if it is one of complex of related street names in one district and renaming one of them would destroy aesthetic unity.

VI. Continuity

1. No portion of a street or road may be renamed if it would tend to disrupt the continuity of its present name.

*new guidelines