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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Paano po kung live in partners lang po kayo at may isa po kayong anak. Paano ho ba ang pagreklamo doon para sa sustento ng bata kung sakaling mas inisip mo nalang lumayo para sa ikabubuti naming dalawa ng anak ko. Kasi away kami ng away po ng asawA ko. Masakit po siya magsalita halos kung anu ano na naiisip ko. Minsan nagsasakitan na ho kami dahil sa sobrang galit namin sa isat isa. Baby palAng po kasi anak namin 3 months old kaya ayoko lumaki po siya na nakikita kaming laging nag aaway. Lalo na po at mahilig magmura ang asawa ko ayoko pong naririnig ng anak ko kasi baka maapektuhan po siya habang lumalaki kaya i decided sana na kahit sustento nalang nG anak ko. Paano po ba yun makukuha ? Ty po sa makakasagot.
hello atty.good morning.meron lang ako itatanong sayo,meron ako boyfriend nga foriegner taga united kingdom manchester na siya,meron kami anak isa,before nagsupport sa bata,pero ngayon para bang nagbago siya,kasi may sakit daw siya nga pancreatic cancer,,ang tanong ko dito atty,pwede ba ako humingin nga support sa bata,kasi wala ako trabaho ngayon,hangang ngayon nagbreastfeed pa ang aking namin anak na lalaki,,mag needs mi sa support sa iyaha amahan,,ako nag atiman sa amoa anak,dili ko ka trabaho kay wala mabilinan sa akoa anak,kay akoa mama 56 na,dili ko kapasalig ug bantay sa bata,,.akoa problems atty wala namin communication sa iya amahan sa anak,dili na siya mo tubag sa tawag ug mo text,,na ngayon ko ug suntento sa bata,iya ra ignore ang akoa messages ug tawag,tambagi ko atty unsa akoa buhaton,.daghan salamat…
Hello po sir. Ask ko lang po, yung asawa ko nagkaroon ng anak nung binata
Pa siya 5yrs ago. Gusto niya panindigan yung ex niya pero ayaw ng family ng ex niya. Pinagbantaan ang asawa ko noon at buong family niya na wag na wag na kokontakin ang ex niya. Nagsama sila before nung nabuntis niya pero bumalik yung girl sa family niya dahil bata pa sila at wala oa trabaho. Mayaman family ng girl kaya pinabugbog din yung asawa ko nung nalaman na nagkakausap pa sila ng ex. Kaya simula nun wala na siya nabalitaan pa sa ex niya. Ngayon 5yrs old na anak nila. At kasal na kami at magkaka anak biglang naghahabol yung ex gf niya sa asawa ko ng financial support. Wala balita ang asawa ko sakanila magina simula noon. Ngayon lang ulit nagparamdam yung ex gf niya at naghahabol. Family to family ang problema before dahil mahirap lang family ng asawa ko. Minaliit ng family ng girl yung asawa ko at di daw nila need ng support from his family dahil kaya buhayin ng family ni girl yung anak at apo nila. We need advice po. Hindi po kalakihan ang sahod ng asawa ko.