Custody of children is one of the most intense aspects in family litigation. A custody battle could be an independent case or a mere incident in an annulment/separation case. Some basic matters pertaining to child custody under Philippine laws are discussed below.
In custody disputes, what is the paramount criterion?
The paramount criterion in custody disputes is the welfare and well-being of the child, or the best interest of the child. The court, in arriving at its decision as to whom custody of the minor should be given, must take into account the respective resources and social and moral situations of the contending parents. Nevertheless, this primordial rule can override the rights of one or both parents over their children.
What is the general rule as to custody over children?
The general rule is that a child under seven years of age shall not be separated from his mother, which is based on the basic need of a child for his mother’s loving care. Article 213 of the Family Code provides that “[n]o child under seven years of age shall be separated from the mother, unless the court finds compelling reasons to order otherwise.” This is more pronounced in case of illegitimate children, as the law expressly provides that illegitimate children shall be under the parental authority of their mother.
Is this rule absolute?
This rule is not absolute. Even a mother may be deprived of the custody of her child who is below seven years of age for “compelling reasons.” Instances of unsuitability are neglect, abandonment, unemployment and immorality, habitual drunkenness, drug addiction, maltreatment of the child, insanity, and affliction with a communicable illness. Negligent and careless failure to perform the duties of parenthood is a significant element of abandonment, regardless of actual intention. A strong basis for a finding of the parent’s abandonment of his or her child is found in the case where the parent has left the child permanently or indefinitely in the care of others, given it to another, or surrendered it entirely.
I left my child with a relative, even signing a document to such effect. Am I barred from taking back my child?
Parental authority and responsibility are inalienable and may not be transferred or renounced except in cases authorized by law. The right attached to parental authority, being purely personal, the law allows a waiver of parental authority only in cases of adoption, guardianship and surrender to a children’s home or an orphan institution. When a parent entrusts the custody of a minor to another, such as a friend or godfather, even in a document, what is given is merely temporary custody and it does not constitute a renunciation of parental authority. Even if a definite renunciation is manifest, the law still disallows the same.
Is the court bound by such preference of a child below 7 years of age?
While such choice is given respect, the court is not bound by that choice. The court may exercise its discretion by disregarding the child’s preference should the parent chosen be found to be unfit, in which instance, custody may be given to the other parent, or even to a third person. Decisions on custody of children are always open to adjustment as the circumstances may warrant.
[See also Child Custody of the Father and Mother, Visitation Rights in the Philippines]
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hi,gusto ko po malamn kung makukuha ko ba anak ko?
hinde po ako kasal sa tatay ng anak ko
nakapag asawa ako from USA,I left philliphines nung 4 years old anak ko,iniwan ko sya sa magulang ng tatay nya dahil nkikiusap sila na dun na muna anak ko habang di ko pa sya nakukuha,dahil mabait magulang ng tatay ng anak ko iniwan ko sa kanila,at doon nakatira yung tatay nya sa magulang nya,lagi ko nakakausap anak ko skype and phone call,and send money for her and for the lola,6 years old palang sya kinukuha ko na sya,pero dahil sa pakiusap ng lola na wag muna,pwede daw ba pag 9 or 11 na sya,,,now 9 years old na sya,,planning to bring her na dito sa USA,BUT her lola passed away last june 2016,its all set bago sya mamatay naguasap kmi na kukunin ko na anak ko dito.but now im having a problem,,,,YUNG TATAY NG ANAK KO AYAW IBIGAY SAKIN YUNG ANAK KO,HE SAID WERE GOING TO COURT,,,ayaw nya ng ibigay anak ko skin,,,gusto ko po malaman kung mananalo ba ako o makukuha ko ba anak ko?Thank you in advance
Go good day im seeking for your help my son is 13 mos old last january I entrust him to the parents of my bf which acknowledge him as a father I go because I need to work in manila as a call center agent but even I cannot visit my son because of the nature of my job I see to it that I have constant communication to him 5 mos that I have seeing him to messgr I make sure that during my a day of rest is Im seeing him in messengr but it lasted for 5 mos because they cut the internet connection and that time started that im started longing to see my son I was asking them if I can borrow my son and take him with me for a month because I dont have enough time to go to bicol and spent my time for him I have very limited time but they keep on saying that I cannot get my son, do I need to begged them in my child custody I tried to please them but they dprived me of my right to have my child custody please help me
Mga Sir pwd po magtanong. Ano po ba ang karapatan ko bilang tatay. kasi po dadalin ng nanay nya yung anak ko papunta US. meron po ba akong mahahabol? Ayaw ko lang po mawala yung anak ko
Good day sir,
My ex live-in partner had an affair while we were together for two years. We had a son. Even though she had an affair, I still stayed hoping she would change for the better. But I was wrong. In the end, I left her and pursued for my nursing review. I tried getting my son back because of her mother’s ill attitude towards my little boy. And now, she won’t even let me have a time with my son. What legal steps should I take towards this situation?
Hoping for your kind reply.
McLaren Heuer.
I am an American and i am married to a filipina and i have a child. I went back to America almost 7 years ago and got a good job and was going to bring my wife and child to America but i got hurt could not work. I have been fighting for SSDI for 6 years, and i finally won, but my wife has another man now even though we are still married. I am going to go back and live in the Philippines and be with my daughter. My wife has taken a job overseas and left my daughter with her aunt. She said i can’t make my daughter an American citizen so she can have rights to my SSDI if i die before she is 18. She also said i cant be alone with my daughter and she cant live with me while she is working in Taiwan. Can I take her to court for rights to my daughter even though i am not a Philippine citizen? Do I have any rights to my Filipino daughter?
I adopt my niece baby (4months) last February because she couldn’t raise her. Even at first I don’t want to because I’m single but she said she will look for someone to adopt her baby if I don’t agree. Because of that, I took her in my care. We had a written and signed document along with our witness that she is surrendering her daughter to me as I am going to be the mother of her child. I even ask her to think about it and stayed at my home for 2 weeks with her whole family. The reason I agreed to adoption because of the things she did back while she just gave birth and tried to cover her baby’s mouth and nose (basically trying to kill her) and there’s a point in time where she can only feed her baby water and sugar. Also, she bathes her on the drum full of water. I am worried for her welfare so I decided to adopt her (not legal adoption).
I care and give everything for that baby for seven months I also allowed them to visit her. Though times that they wanted to come here at my home but it seems that the real mom doesn’t give a damn of her baby. Then they told me that the sister of the father of the child wants to adopt the baby as well. Then her story rumbles and she wants now to at least to give her 1 day to spend time with the baby and take her all the way from Bulacan. That’s the time I said that I won’t allow it since I am already the mother of her child. That she is not some kind of a dog or a thing to be borrowed.
Then after a month DSWD came to our home and gave me a letter to appear for the custody. I explain to them in tondo dswd about what happened, how it all began. Then the dswd told me that I do not have the right to claim her baby. But, she will still remain in my care and they will investigate first for 3 months if the mother is capable to taking good care of the baby. If she can support her every day needs. In the mean time, she has to start supplying her milk and diapers.
That was tuesday but just a 2 days after they came again and she already got the letter from DSWD San jose del monte bulacan granting her to take the baby. That she is capable.
How can she be capable that easy if she couldn’t even support herself? That she is studying and also working as a sales lady. How come they granted her shouldn’t they look if she is capable psychologically and mentally as well? Is it possible because they should have called me in there to know my side of the story before they grant her?
I really do need your advice. I am worried about the baby. She is starting to get sick.
Magandang Araw po sa inyo Atty.,
Ako ay may problema regarding sa costudy ng mga anak ko. dalawang lalake isang 7 years old at 4 years old. nakatira po ako sa san jose delmonte bulacan. nagtatrabaho po ako bilang isang graphic artist dito sa manila. umuuwi lang po ako sa bulacan every weekend kasi po medyo maliit po ang sweldo ko at medyo malaki ang nagagastos ko sa pamasahe pag uwian po ako sa amin. nasa P4,600.00 pesos po ang naiiuwi ko sa amin kada lingo. ang mga anak ko po ay nag aaral sa La conception college sa bulacan. isang grade 2 at kinder 1. ganito po gusto ko po malaman kong ano po ang gagawin ko kasi po ang ina ng dalawang anak ko po na ito ay nag demanda ang gusto po nya ay maibigay ko ang gusto nya na kahit hindi ko po kaya. nag sama po kami ng 9 na taon sa 9 na taon na po yun ay hindi maganda ang pag sasama namin. nan doon po na ilang besis ko po sya na huli na may ibang lalake na tinatagpo, nahuli ko po yon sa email nya mga pictures po na naka hubad at video na nakikipag cybersex sya. mga picture na nakahubad sya na pinapadala nya sa mga ka chat nya. nakuha ko po ang attention nya tungkol doon ang sabi nya sa akin hindi nya raw kasalan kong bakit sya nag kaka gayan kasalanan ko daw kasi niloko ko sya pinangakuan na papakasalan. nung mag ka kilala kami kasal po sya may asawa sya hiwalay po sila wala syang anak doon sa asawa nya. may intensyon naman po akong pakasalan sya kaso nga nong makita ko ang mga emails at chat nya hindi ko na po itinuloy ang plano ko. at ayon ang isa sa mga problema ko. nag usap na kami na pag ginawa pa nya ulit makikipag hiwalay na ako sa kanya.. ayon po naulit ulit kaya nag disisyon na ako nahiwalayan sya. ngayon nag demanda sya kasi ang sabi nya na meron pa den daw po akong responsibilidad sa kanya kasi sya dw ang ina ng dalawa kong anak. hindi ko po sure na kailangan po ba meron? o sa mga anak ko lang po?. saka ang sabi nya sa akin noon na wala daw po akong pakialam kong ano man ang gawin nysa kasi hindi naman daw po kami kasal? tama po ba yon? meron po akong mga proof na magpapatunay sa mga na kuha ko sa email nya? magagamit ko po ba yon pag nag harap harap kami sa korte.? sa november 3 po kami mag haharap harap. ang dalawa kong anak po ay nakatira sa bulacan sa bahay namin. ako po lahat ang nag babayad. wala pong trabaho ang ina nila. ako den po ang nag babayad ng katulong at tutoor ng dalawa kong anak. at saka nga pala po nan doon den ang anak kong 17 years old sa bahay namin sa bulacan doon den nag aaral sa La Concepcion college. ako den po ang nag paparal sa kanya. lahat po binabayaran ko pagkain koryente bahay tubig katulong tutor service sa school baon ng mga bata pagkain sa madaling salita full support po ako sa mga anak ko. ang ina nila dating nag work sa call center kaso po hindi tumatagal ng 6 buan humihinto po. sa bahay naman po sya walang ginagawa kondi ang mag hawak ng cellphone buong araw hagngang madaling araw. ang katulong po ang nag aasikaso sa dalawang maliit hatid at sundo sa school. at saka minsan ang anak kong 17 years old na lalake. ang binabayaran ko po sa katulong ay P4,000.00 at sa tutor po ay P1,000.00 buwan buwan. wala po akong reklamo sa mga suporta ko sa mga anak ko. ang ina nila po ngayon ay walang trabaho na sa bahay lang. minsan umaalis hindi ko po alam kong ano ginagawa nya pag umaalis sya. ano po ba ang dapat kong gawin para pag dating namin sa korte ay maipahayg ko ng mabuti ang lahat at isa lang naman ang gusto kong mangyari makasama ko ang dalawa kong anak kahit weekend lang. at kailangan ko po bang ibigay ang hinihingi ng ina nila na hindi ko naman po kaya? hangang saan lang po ba ang kailangan kong ibagay para sa mga anka ko? responsibilidad ko pa po ba ang ina nila kailangan ko po ba na bigyan sya ng sustento? kahit hindi kami kasal, kahit may nag aalaga na sa mga anak ko po? saan po ba dapat ako lulogar? ano po dapat ang gagawin ko?
maraming salamat po Atty.
best regards
senen baterna
Hi, Atty. gusto ko lang po if may laban ba sa husgado kung yung tatay ay wal sa birth certificate? pde bang mkuha ng tatay yung bata if ever mag pa affidavid na mailagay yung tatay as father in birth certificate? If okay n po na legal na ung father as a parent ng bata pde po b sya umapila ng child custody ? 6 years old n po yung bat? nkatira sa nanay ever since kse my knasamang ibang lalaki yung nanay and may anak n po yung nanay sa ibng lalaki. panu po kaya makukuha ung custody ng bata? if mg file po ba yung tatay ng case for the custody my laban po ba sya? please advice naman po.. Thanks po..
Good evening po Atty.!…
May anak po akong babae na ngayon ay 7 yrs old na ngayon. May kinakasama nang iba at nag kaanak pa sila.,, kasal po kami sa simbahan nag kahiwalay kami nung 2012,,. Gusto ko po sana na makuha ng legal process ang custody sa bata. Ang plano ko po sana na mag file ng adultury sa kanila para makuha ko ang anak ko ngunit naaawa ako sa anak nila.. May iba pa po bang paraan pra makuha ko ang anak ng legal process…
Salamat po!…
Hello Atty,
My sister passed away September of last year. She have two kids 4 and 2 years old. The kids is now in the costudy of their grandparents in father side. He (the father of my neice) is now working in one of those well-knowed company in our country, getting a salary of just a minimum (less than 500Php/day). I know that even if your salary is more than Php 500 it is still not suffecient enough to have fair living . Specilly when you are renting a room and own no car. If i can prove to the court that i am more capable and financially ready. Now i want to ask you if their is any posibility to have the costudy of my neice having that situation.
How
Sincerly
Lingwill