Through all the family cases that we have handled, we have come to accept, without discounting the contrary, the sad fact that bad blood exists between the opposing parties (e.g., estranged spouses in annulment/separation/property cases, siblings and relatives in estate proceedings). In particular, with respect to custody-support cases over children, it is easily understandable that custody is one of the more contested issues. However, the issue on child support should not be as complicated.
It should not be as complicated, but reality makes it so. Articles 195 and 196 of the Family Code enumerate the persons who are under obligation to support each other:
- (1) The spouses;
- (2) Legitimate ascendants and descendants;
- (3) Parents and their legitimate children and the legitimate and illegitimate children of the latter;
- (4) Parents and their illegitimate children and the legitimate and illegitimate children of the latter;
- (5) Legitimate brothers and sisters, whether of full or half-blood; and
- (6) Brothers and sisters not legitimately related, whether of the full or half-blood, except only when the need for support of the brother or sister, being of age, is due to a cause imputable to the claimant’s fault or negligence.
On the other hand, the amount of support should be in proportion to the resources or means of the giver and the necessities of the recipient, pursuant to Articles 194, 201 and 202 of the Family Code:
Art. 194. Support comprises everything indispensable for sustenance, dwelling, clothing, medical attendance, education and transportation, in keeping with the financial capacity of the family.
The education of the person entitled to be supported referred to in the preceding paragraph shall include his schooling or training for some profession, trade or vocation, even beyond the age of majority. Transportation shall include expenses in going to and from school, or to and from place of work.
Art. 201. The amount of support, in the cases referred to in Articles 195 and 196, shall be in proportion to the resources or means of the giver and to the necessities of the recipient.
Art. 202. Support in the cases referred to in the preceding article shall be reduced or increased proportionately, according to the reduction or increase of the necessities of the recipient and the resources or means of the person obliged to furnish the same.
If you are a parent, it is safe to assume that you would want the best for your child and you wouldn’t hesitate to provide adequate support. However, it’s unfortunate that when it comes to support for the common children (whether legitimate or illegitimate), so many fathers still fail (or worse, simply refuse) to provide adequate support. Whatever the reason is, and regardless of whether or not these reasons are correct, the problem became pervasive, so much so that Congress saw it fit to “criminalize” (only against fathers) the withholding of support in certain instances. Not everyone knows that this is covered under Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004“. [See Laws on Child Support in the Philippines]
Not everyone also knows that R.A. 9262 provides for criminal sactions or penalties for failure to provide support or withholding custody, in certain cases. Well, now you know.
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Dear Atty,
Need your advise po. Naghiwalay po kame Oct. 2016 ng live-in partner ko. Simula noon up to now never sya nagbigay sa akin ng sustento para sa 7years old son namin. Pinapahiram ko parin sa kanya ang bata dahil ang reason po nya sa akin ay wala sya work at pag nakaalis daw po saka sya magbibigay. Isa po kasi syang seman. Sinabi ko po sa kanya na kahit Php5,000.00 magbigay monthly pumayag naman po sya at sinabing mag iiwan ng atm para don sa allotment. Last July 6, 2017 tinakasan nya na po kame. Ayaw na po magbigay. Ang sabi nya po hindi nya ako bibigyan ng sustento pero sya na lang daw sa pag aaral ng bata. Ipapabayad daw nya sa nanay nya ang tuition. Php700.00 lng po ang tuition ng bata kada buwan. Un lang daw ang maibibigay nya. Kung ano-ano pong masasakit na salita ang natanggap ko mula sa kanya. Muka daw ako pera para humingi ng Php5,000.00. Naawa na lang ako sa sarili ako. Kaya sinabihan ko silang wag na magbigay. Kung tutuusin kaya ko naman gawan ng paraan kesa un pagkatao ko ang lait laitin nila. Kung salbahe at mukang pera akong tao idadaan ko sa legal ang lahat at possible daw hindi makaalis yon pag nagdemanda ako at possible rin na mas malaki pa makuha kong sustento. Pero mas pinili ko pong manahimik na lang para wala ng gulo. Ang concern ko po ngayon ay pwed po ba ako humingi sa atty o court na order na ndi nya pwed lapitan anak ko? malinaw naman po na tinalikuran na nya.
Thanks po.
Sincerely,
Yobi
Good day po.
I have heard of the law concerning a refund of child support. I’ve been separated for 14 yrs now and have not demanded support from my ex husband because we didn’t know his whereabouts since we left my in-laws’ house. I’ve heard he has been working outside the country but as usual I was the last to know. But 2 yrs ago he appeared to my mom in law’s house and my son heard of it and went there to meet him (he did not initiate to see my son and daughter). Now My eldest daughter is already working and my youngest is still in college. My question is, Can I demand for the refund of his supposed share on my children’s support and for the present support for my son?… by the way he is an Architect by profession and has his own firm and he also has introduced his 14 yr old daughter and the other woman to his family and my children.
Thank you very much.
Hi poh. May 2 anak poh ako… my name is maricar… d poh nagbbgay ng support ang ama nila… natigil din poh sa pag aaral ang ank ko dahil wala suporta…. police ang ama nila. Ano poh kaya gagawin ko? Nagtry poh ako kauspin sya ng maaus but still ganu pa din now poh i decided to file a case… ano poh ba pede ko isampa na kaso sakanya?
Hi attorney can you please help me to seek justice and rights for my Children regarding our problem.
im 40 years old. presently working here in hongkong as a ofw mother of two kids one is in university already and one is in a special school he has diagnosed with autism.IVE been seperated with my husband long time ago no communication with him only with his family and some friends.Then last january my husband luckily got hos job in saudi..So finaly i got comunicate with him asking for a financial support for my kids but it realy hard for me and my children to ask him to send support now i just recently found out that he has another girl and a newly born son.Im not realy interested with my husband anymore sir i just want whats right for my children i will be very gratefull for your help..Thank you so much
Just want to ask, yung live in partner ko po has 2 panganays from different women, i know hindi siya nagkukulang ng sustento infact sobra nga siyang gumastos sa binyag and birthdays ng mga bata, pinaghahandaan niya pag aaral ng mga to. Pero yung isang babae po na hindi makapagmove on at nagbanta na kakasuhan niya daw boyfriend ko, kasi di daw dinadalaw ang anak niya. Ano pong kaso ang pwde niyang ikaso sa partner ko, at pano ko po idedefend sarili ko sa kaniya since hinahalungkat niya personal life at sinisira niya po pamilya ko, like mama at mga kapatid ko? Pls need it badly pls hide my identity po. Thank you
Hi! I would like to ask opinion regarding sa pagdedemand ng nanay ng anak ng asawa ko. Bale nagpakasal ako sa asawa ko, at may anak na siya (now 4yrs old). Alam ko nman yun at hindi issue sakin. Pero ang ihihingi ko lang sana ng opinion is ung pagdedemand ng nanay ng bata. Monthly nman may sustento ang bata. 8k. Ngayon, she’s demanding na gawin daw 10k ang sustento dahil kulang na kulang daw sa bata ang 8k. Kahit di pa naman nag aaral ang bata. Worst, buong pamilya ng Asawa ko (parents and relatives) bawal pumunta sa bahay nila para bisitahin ang bata. Yung Asawa ko lang dapat. Bawal din hiramin. At kapag tinatawagan, pinapatayan kami ng phone. At kung di maibigay ang gusto nyang halaga, nag eeskandalo sya. Kung anu anong pagmumura ang sinasabi sa tawag at text.
Pag tinatanong ko nman asawa ko kung bakit bigay lang siya ng bigay, sabi niya, ayaw lang niya ng gulo, kasi iskadalosa yung babae. May work na mganda din nman ang babae tsaka malaking sahud, pero buong gastos sa daily needs and wants, asawa ko nagso shoulder. To think na may anak din kami.. Hindi nman po ganun kalaki sweldo ng asawa ko. Para makapag ipon din sana kami. Naaawa ako sa situation ng Asawa ko at in laws ko. Mahal na mahal nila ang bata kaya sunod sunoran nlang sila sa gusto ng nanay. Tama po ba yun? Ano po bang action ang dapat kong gawin?
Hi my husband and i always argue and fight and he always leave us, me and our son, and go to his mother’s house. He never attempted to make things work for us and i always end up making the first move. I feel like he doesnt have any concern for our family anymore and he is so unattentive lately. Then this April we had a huge fight and he left us and never contacted us and never gave financial support again until Sept when her mother gave back our clothes at my parents house. I was so dismayed because i was waiting for him to make things right. I texted him why and how come he never gave us support anymore and he told me that i should expect anullment. I decided to seek help from dswd and we went to his office(he is a supervisor in a big company so theres no way he cant support us) and we were so shocked to find out that he already left for bahrain. Her mother even went to my parents house and she never mentioned that his son will go abroad. Now im asking for advice please what should i do? What cases should i file?
Hi attorney. Gusto ku lang po humingi ng advice kung pwedi ho ba ako makahingi ng child support sa tatay ng anak ko in legal way. Nagbibigay naman po sya pero kung gusto lang niya. Pero po wala po sa record ng livebirth ng anak ko na sya ama, habang storya po kasi. Gusto ko lang po naman matulungan kami ng anak ko kasi nag.aaral na po sya di ko po kaya mag.isa wala pa po akong work. Ano po mga hakbang dyan?Salamat po
Sir..
In my case were i have 2 children 4 and 1 year old..
How much financial support i can give..
I’m not merried with their mother..
Because of some personal issues..
Good day po. Ang aking anak na lalaki ay isang pong contractual worker dito sa aming bayan bilang isanfg responder/rescuer and his earning P6,500.00/month. Noong 2012 ay nakarating cya ng Taiwan bilang isang OFW. Habang nasa Taiwan po sya naging malimit ang kanilang away hanggang nagdesisyon na maghiwalay sila. Sa kanilang verbal agreement may financial support na P5,000.oo per month na ibibigay ang aking anak sa kanyang asawa. Kahit na P6,500 lng ang monthly salary ng aking anak ay tinutupad niya ang kanilang agreement. Kaso this day lang po nnang ihatid niya ang bata sa kanyang asawa san lungsod nagdemand ang asawa na daoat magbigay siya ng pera para sa birthday ng kanilang anak bukas. Ang sabi nang anak kon lalaki., Hindi na ako magbigay kasi na treat ko na sya kahapon pa. Birthday kasi ng isa kong apo so pinasama ko na lng ang kanilang birthday. Ngayon nagdemand sya na lalapit sya sa korte para ireklamo ang kanyang financial support. Ang aking tanong maari po bang makasuhan ang aking anak na hindi nga bigay ng suporta sa kanyang anak? Anf monthly allowance ng bata ay ipinadala sa isang pawnshop na may pera padaa at may resibo syang hinahawakan.