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, good day! It is not stated in R.A. Kung ilang porsyento sa monthly salary ang kukunin para supporta?
Jonathan, you may have missed the portion in the article about the absence of a definite rule on the amount of support (whether deducted from the salary or not). Good luck.
Hello poh.. Isa poh aqoh s victim ng wrong relationship.. Ngmahal poh aqoh ng may aswa at ksal cla.. Ngkaanak poh kmi.. At 2weeks plng poh ung baby nmin ngaun at d p poh aqoh fully recovered s panganganak pero iniwan nya n poh kmi para bumalik s legal n family nya.. Sa ganitong case poh b pwde din poh b aqoh humingi ng sustento pra sa anak qoh?? Kc d qoh din poh kkyaning mg isa na plakihin ung baby namin lalo n poh at malayo aqoh s family qoh.. Thanks poh..
Monirih, by way of general information, support may be demanded from the father (whether legitimate or illegitimate). Good luck.
Me and my husband are separated (not legally) for almost 6 years. Ever since never siya nagbigay ng support sa dalawang anak namin. Until nakabuntis siya ng iba. Nung una diko siya inoobliga ng support dahil wala siyang trabaho. Then nung nagkawork na sya, nagkaron kami ng agreement sa Baranggay na magsusupport siya sa mga bata, pero never niyang tinupad. Hindi narin ako naghabol dahil ayoko napang mastress. And last year nakapag abroad siya and nagkawork dun. Since then never parin siya nagbigay ng support. Last year puro pangako siya na tutulong pag nakapag adjust na siya sa Dubai. Pero more than one year na siya nasa abroad until now hindi parin siya nagsusupport. Ano kaya ang habol ko? Pano ko pa siya makakasuhan kung nasa ibang bansa siya?
Anne, with respect to the agreement executed at the Barangay, read this: https://pnl-law.com/blog/execution-of-settlement-agreement-under-the-katarungang-pambarangay/
With respect to the other question, read this: https://pnl-law.com/blog/preliminary-investigation-criminal-cases/
Good luck.
Helo po gusto ko Lang po itanong Kung pwede ko bang ipatanggal SA trabaho Yong Asawa ko we’re married for almost 4yrs this yr at may anak kami Isa 4yrs old na din kaso po Yung problema ko tinaggalan Niya po kami Ng atm without letting us know Kasi dun po pumapasok Yung sahod Niya at since 2015 May end of the month wla na po support Yung anak ko hanggang ngayun 2019 ako na po Yung nag tatrabaho as online business po para ma support ko Yung anak ko , Ang sabi po nila meron daw support Yung anak ko pero wla po kaming natatanggap galling SA kanya. Matatawag bang support Ng Hindi naming natatanggap? Gusto ko pong malaman.
Hi my name is Harvie,
I have a complicated situation. I was summoned for a Child Support with my ex live-in partner. I had no problems with giving my first son some money. I already volunteered to pay for his school stuffs, but still my ex demanded me to give pocket money worth of 2k per 15 days 4k a month, but my salary a month is just basing from 8k – 9k and we both already have our own families. She’s having a baby soon and will be married to her husband, and I’m living with my current wife along with our 3 year old daughter and 8 months son. With my salary of 8l – 9k most half or more of it is the demand of my ex, she is threatening me if I don’t comply with her demand she will let me go to jail, I already told her that I can’t do that kind of demand because it’s too high and there will be nothing left with my family to feed them and even have a future with me as their husband and father. I am saddened, afraid and so depress right now because they might leave me because of thinking that they will have no future with me if they stay. How can I fight with my ex’s demands at least decrease her demands legally. Please advised, thank you so much.
Regards
Hinge lang po sana ako ng advice if ano magandang hakbang n gawin s ex husband ko. Nag sign kmi last june 2018 ng financial support pra sa anak who is 14 yrs old. Every 12th at 28th of the month magbbgay cia ng 1500. Pero ngaun march 28 at apr 12 hindi cia nagbgay dahil raw wla ciang pera. Pero may work namn cia. Kesyo suspindido raw cia kaya wlang sweldo. May 3 anak n cia s kabit nia. Ano po bang pwede kong gwin upang tumupad cia s pinirmahan namin s abogada last june?
good day!! my friend matagal ng kasal sa asawa nya kaso di sila magka anak…hanggang sa nagkabuntis sya sa ibang girl.. eversince sinabe ng girl na buntis sya at yung friend ko ang ama ay nagbibigay sya ng financial support hanggang ngayon na 11 yrs old na ang bata..now,, ask ko lang po..
*tama po bang bigyan ng financila support kahit di pa sure kung anak ba talaga ng friend ko yung bata kasi kahit isang beses di nya nakita yung bata?!
*tama bang magbanta yung girl na magpafile daw sya ng case against sa friend ko about sa support everytime na nadedelay ang padala ng pera?!
*tama ba na magdemand pa ang girl ng mas mataas sa nagpag usapang amount lang na isusuporta?!
please help us naman po kung anu dapat namin gawin…
thank you!!
Hello po pwede po ba magkaso kung walang trabaho ang lalake na di sumusuporta sa dalawang nyang anak?
Hi,, PO hingi Lang PO ako Nan tulong may anak PO ako 7 years old,,at cmula nang pinanganak ko cia hndi po sinuportahan nang tatay,, na try ko po eh message Ang asawa nang tatay nang anak ko po,, na Kung pwede lang PO kausapin nya yung asawa nya na bka nman pwde bigyan nang sustento yung anak ko khit mag kanu Lang..Wala dn kasi akung contact sa tatay nang anak ko po , kaya sa asawa PO ako nang message…at Yun nga PO ayaw po nang asawa nya na mag bigay sustento sa anak..Anu po ba pwede Kung gawin pRa mag bigay sustento po yung tatay nang anak ko..
good morning po ..
may anak po ako running 4 years old this nov. never po nag bigay yung ama nya ng sustento .. dahilan wala daw syang trabaho anu kaya ang pweding gwin .. and pwede po b ifix yung amount kung mag kanu ang ibibigay nya .. im 21 years old .. .. never po syang nag abot . sana matulongan nyo po ako ..