Through all the family cases that we’ve handled, we’ve 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’s easily understandable that custody is one of the more contested issues. However, the issue on child support should not be as complicated.
Well, it shouldn’t 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, thus: (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’re 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“.
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.
good day sir..
i would like to ask further details regarding financial support of my kids. its very complicated to elaborate but ill do my part the best way i can.
im a single mom of 3 kids
1st situation:
i got my eldest (12yrs old, will turn 13yrs old) and 2nd son (10yrs old) to my first live in partner. but at that time po, me live in partner din po sya which im unaware of. pero mula nun naghiwalay kami, wala n ako natatanggap n financial support. nde ko po pinapakita s knya un mga anak nmin kz ayaw din po sya makita mga anak ko at natatakot ako n maapektuhan ang feeling ng mga anak ko. pero ngiinsit po sya n mgsusustento po sya pag nakita nya mga anak ko kaso ayaw nmn po talaga mga anak ko. isa pa po wala po sya isusustento kz minsan ko n po sya nahuli ngddrugs, nde ko po alam kung hanggang ngayon. baka saktan lang kami e.
QUESTIONS :
1. may habol pa po ba ako sa financial support s ama ng boys ko?
2. magkano po pede ko hingin s knya?
3. may makukuha po b akong sustento kahit nde ko ipakita mga anak ko s knya?
4. anu po maaari kong gawen?
2nd situation:
un bunso ko pong babae (7yrs old) ay anak ko sa second live in partner ko nakilala ko sometime in 2009. sa loob ng pagsasama namin nagloko sya twice. sa una, ngkababae sya kahit buntis n ako ng 5months. tapos 2nd naman sya ngloko nun 1yr old n anak nmin. dun s 2nd n babae e ngkaanak din sya. hiniwalayan ko sya 2yrs old n anak nmin pero ni minsan nde sya ngsustento s amin kahit pilit ko syang hinihingan ng pambili ng gamit o gatas at diaper ng anak nmin. pero po nun binyag ng anak nmin (5months old n po baby nmin nun) sya po ng pamilya nya ang sumagot kahit nun first bday ng baby nmin. pero hinihingan ko p rin sya sustento, pero lage nya sinasabe n wala syang pera at wala syang work. nagalit p s akin un parents nya kz hingi daw ako ng hinge s ama ng anak nmin e alam ko nmn daw po n wala sya work kaya wala sya paghuhugutan ng maiibigay s anak nmin. minsan hinihiram nila anak ko. pinagbibigyan ko nmn po. 1-2 days s knila minsan 3days pero isosole nila anak ko n wala man lang iiwanang panggastos o kahit gatas at diaper. kesyu nasa abroad daw po mama ko e dun daw po ako huminge. me biznes silang party needs etc. minsan po. christmas dinadala ko baby nmin s kanila. pag bday nghahanda sila pero nun nag-4yrs old n po baby nmin, tumigil n sila s ganun routine. at nde n sila ngbibigay. tapos nabalitaan ko po n lang po na nagseaman n sya. minesg ko sya at kinumusta. ngtry ako huminge ng sustento pero wala daw po sya pera. gusto po ng anak nmin n mgaral s private pero nde ko po maibigay s anak ko kase wala nmn ako work n malaki sweldong sasapat s amin magiina. kaya ngsabe ako s knya pero nagalit sya. nde daw po porket seaman n sya e hihingan ko n sya ng malaking pera. nagalit lalo s akin magulang nya. ngdecide n po ako n mghabol for financial support kz dependent kmi mgiina kay mama ngayon. ngtry po ako s PAO pero sabe s akin e mgreklamo daw po ako s children and women’s desk ng pulis. dun daw po ngrereklamo. so nawalan po ako ng pagasa. me nilapitan po akong private atty. nggawa po sya ng DEMAND LETTER sa ama ng anak ko worth 20k. binayaran ko po ng 3500 ang paggagawa ng demand letter n un. narecv ng kamp ng magulang nya ang sulat pero wala po response. nasa barko po that time un ama ng anak ko. sabe po nun private atty n nilapitan ko, mgsampa n daw po ako demanda kaso huminphinge sya ng 60-70k para maumpisahan n ang kaso. wala po ako ganun kalaking halaga. gusto ko po pagpanagutin un ama ng bunso ko s sustento. pinuntahan ko po ang maritime office nya s bagtikan makati ROYAL CARRIBBEAN CRUISE SHIPS, pero sabe po nila, nde nila ako matutulungan s prob ko unless mgsampa ako demanda.
QUESTIONS :
1. panu po ako mkkpaghabol ng financial support?
2. may laban po b ako kun itutuloy ko ang demanda?
3. magkano po magagastos ko? wala po akong sapat n pera s pgsasampa ng kaso. wala po akong work at asa lang ako s mama ko kase binabantayan ko un bahay nila.
4. magkano po max n financial support n pede ko hingen s knya?
5. sa birth cert po ng anak nmin e apelyido ko gamit ng anak nmin pero nag-acknowledge po sya sa likod ng Birth cert. pumirma po sya. so nakalagay name nya as FATHER.
6. anu po ang first step ko para maipanalo itong pinaglalaban ko?
7. paano po ako makakasimula sa paghahabol ng financial support kase ngayon po nabalitaan ko s kumpare namin n kinasal n sya?
8. may mahahabol po b akong financial support kahit kasal n sya?
9. pede po b n nde ko ipakita s knya anak nmin pero me sustento p rin kase ayaw n po makita ng anak nmin un tatay nya. decision po un ng anak ko at nde ko po un tinuruan. sa katunayan po, pinupush ko l sya n pumunta kami s christmas s mga lolo lola nya kase ayaw po talaga ng anak ko e. ngmamakaawa n wag sya dalhen dun.
nde ko n po alam gagawen ko. sana po mtulungan nyu po ako. enlighten me po what i should do kase po at this very moment, nde ko po alam kun paanu p ako mgsusurvive dahil kahit mama ko po ngayon e suko n s pgbuhay s amin. nkkhiya n rin po. ayoko po n lage nya ako binabauy s mga naitulo g nya s amin magiina at s pagpapatira nya s amin. lage po nabubugbug emotionally at morally. ayoko po ibinabalik ang nkraang nangyare s buhay ko dahil pilit ko po iniaahon ang sarili ko s pgkakalubog ko. para pong masisiraan n ako ng baet. sana po bago man lang mahuli anlahat e makagawa ako ng something para s mga anak ko.
salamat po.
gumagalang at humihinge ng advice,
anonymous single mom
Good day,
I have a 2-year old daughter whose father keeps denying her as his. Is that also covered under this article? What can I do?
Thank you.
good day atty.
im married and blessed with a son. unfortunately after 3 years of married our relationship doesn’t work so my husband leave us. I have work and so with my husbad but the problem is he is not giving a monthly financial support for my son. he just send money during the 4th birthday of my son and the next 2 succeeding month’s after the birthday and nothing follows. I keep on asking for child support again but he just keep on telling me that he has still lots of bills to pay. I even called him and suggest that since he is not giving a monthly financial support why not apply or open any educational plan for my son but then again I haven’t received any positive response and he even end the call. can you please help me or fo you have any suggestions for this? Im afraid my contract will end this year and it will be hard for me to do all the support for my son.