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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Hi po,I have a baby she’s turning 4mons this coming November 27, Di pa po nakapangalan sa Tatay, Dahil during my pregnancy hangang panganganak Wala sya Dahil seaman sya,napagusapan namin n pgkababa nya aayusin nlng yung birth certificate ng baby but until now Di na po sya nkipag communicate sakin,anu po pwding gawin to make him support my Baby?as per I know po punta daw ako POEA but what are the documents needed? Hope you could help me…
Thank you and More power…
How to file a case for legal support for a child from his ofw father? We are not married but we both lived in a same roof, 9 years ago. My child was born in germany when we are still together working abroad. But when my son and i had a vacation in the philippines, my ex live-in partner already brought home another girl and got pregnant with. Leaving both our son and i left behind in the philippines. Should i file a case here or in germany?? What should i do??
Hello, gusto ko lang po malaman ano pede q gawin kz my kasunduan po kme ng x q about sa sustento ng mga bata. 2 kids po 7 and 3 10 thou monthly and health card nmen ng mga bata every year under his name pati bonus and mid year bonus nia hati kme pero now. ndi na nia ibinigay ung kasunduan nmen sa barangay at umabot na sa pao un pero now ndi xa tumupad. ung sustento lang nia 5thou every cut off binigay nia. sbe daw ng abogado na sobra sobra na raw un. Ano po ba gagawin q gusto q sana pumunta sa hr nila
Gud day.may 3 po akong anak sa sa japanese farther nila..di po kmi kasal at maliliit pa po ang mga anak nmin,may mganda po syang trabho sa isang company sa japan at my factory d2 sa pinas.gusto po makakuha ng sapat sa support pra sa 3 bata na inabandona na knilang ama.sana mtulungan nyo po ako..pls reply po.
Thank you!
Hi! I’m Ann,31years old now..I was diagnosed kidney failure end stage.y mother abandoned me when i was 2 years old.She is nurse now by profession.i tried to communicate with her when I was 28 years old to asked help for my sickness but still she is refusing to help me..can I force her to help me?since she was never been a mother to me..
atty…
Good day to you. I am very much willing to provide my daughter financially,in fact every 15days and 30days i send money to her address to her mother because we are part ways now and we are not legally marriage. How much should i give to her now that me and her mother have descent job. We are both working in government right now and that is why i am confuse of my support bigger the mother is now slowly asking to much.
Hoping for your positive reply!
Good day atty., ako po ay legally married sa church, mayruon 9 yr old child, housewife, OFW ang asawa.
2014 sya ng start work sa ibang Bansa after few months nalaman ko mayruon sya dalawang kabit, ang Isa sa pinas ang Isa kasama Nya sa ibang Bansa.. Pinagsabay Nya Kami Tatlo.. May mga pamilya ang mga kabit. Umuwi sya 2016. Pag balik Nya sa ibang Bansa hiniwalayan Nya Ako.. Sabi niya sustento Lang daw ang sa kanya.. Wala daw Kami paki alam Kung Ano Gagawin Nya Kasi sya daw ang nagbubuhay sa Amin. Paki sabi Lang sa bata na patay na sya na aksidente.. Ng sustento naman sya but kulang.. 2 months po sya wala nagpadala ng sustento.. Ang mama o kapatid Nya ang ngpapadala Kasi wala na Kami contact sa kanya.. Nakakuha Ako ng inpormasyon na nandito sa pinas ang asawa ko nuon pa daw katapusan sa Agusto..
Ano po ang maipapa yo nyo sa Gawain ng asawa ko O pinag gagawa Nya sa Amin? Ano po ang maipapayo nyo sa financial support sa bata?
Hello Magandang Hapon po, ako po si Mell Anak po ng isang OFW sa abu dhabi na nakaalis po ng September 22, 2012 sa agency po na OZEM INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT SERVICES INC., hihingi po sana ako ng tulong sa inyo kase po ang aking ama na ofw hindi po kami tinutulungan o sinusustentohan matagal napo, kasal sila ng magulang ko nung November 16, 1992 pero hindi po nag tagal ang pagsasama nila at nag asawa po ulit ng iba ang aking ama, kaya wala na po kami sa list ng priority nya hirap na hirap po kami humingi sakanya ng supporta, pero pabalik balik nman sya ng ibang bansa, hihingi lang po sana ako ng tulong na sana mabigyan namn kami ng sustento kase kami po ang unang pamilya, ako ang panganay nyang anak sana matulungan nyo po ako maipaabot sakanya ung akin hinaing para nmn mabigyan kami ng pansin salamat po.
In My Case Attorney My Wife Had Abandon Us And She Leave Our 1 Year Old Child Because She Said she cannot support for milk. She has 2 children 1 is 7 year old and one is 9 year old on her late husband that is in heaven now. She has work but the thing is she only support the 2 children but not our child that is only 1 year old. I have a job but my problem is there is no one to take care of my 1 year old.and the funny thing is when she gave birth to our son. 2 weeks later she insist to work early that we argue about it . We agree that we equally support our baby son because my job is not enough and not permanent.and now ive stop because no one will take care of my son. And now i dont have money to milk my son and pay for a nanny. Because ive stop.and now taking care of my son… can i file criminal case on her?
Hello Atty!
May dalawa kaming anak ng EX-live in partner ko, ages 5 and 7. Nung nag abroad siya, nabuntis siya ng iba then pag uwi niya, napatawad ko siya at sinupportahan ung anak niya na di kinilala nang tatay and she’s already 3 now. She stayed for a couple of months after niyang manganak then bumalik ng abroad last 2014. Naging okay ulit kami hanggang nung 2015, nalaman ko nalng na may bago na naman siyang kinakasama sa abroad which is naging dahilan na hiniwalayan ko siya. Bagong panganak lang siya this month sa bagong lalaki.
Anyways, gusto ko lang po mag tanong if magkano ung financial obligation ko kasi 10.000 pesos lang basic pay ko. nagbibigay ako 4k a month pero grabe parin ung insulto na inaabot kasi kulang daw at laging nagbabanta na magkakaso.
salamat po sa pag sagot. God Bless!