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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 396
25 JULIO P4 01
RijCti'wt j BV; __
Introduced by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR PARENT SUPPORT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
"... they who protected the weakness of our infancy, are entitled to our 
protection in the infirmity of their age; they who by sustenance and education have 
enabled their offspring to prosper, ought in return to be supported by that offspring, 
in case they stand in need of assistance."
Filial responsibility statutes or the rules mandating children to provide support 
to their parents existed for over thousands of years. As early as the third century A.D. 
in Roman society, there were statutory mutual obligations of support and maintenance 
between children and parents. Ethics also dictated support of relatives in medieval 
Europe. This ethical standard developed by custom and usage into support laws from 
parent to child and, ultimately, from child to parent. Later, a law imposing the duty of 
parental support on children was incorporated in the Code Napoleon, the civil code 
enacted in the 1800s, which became the main influence of 19th-century civil codes of 
most countries of continental Europe and Latin America. In 1601, a relative 
responsibility statute enacted by English Parliament in 1597, which applied only to 
parents and children, was extended to additional collateral relatives.


In the United States, 30 states have filial responsibility laws: Alaska, Arkansas, 
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, 
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South 
Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
States with filial responsibility statutes take a variety of approaches to 
implementation. There are those who allow some sort of civil court action to obtain 
financial support (or cost recovery), others specify a criminal penalty for filial non­
support, while some states allow both civil and criminal actions.
We, Filipinos, are well-known for our close family ties. Because of this, it is not 
surprising that we have the usual inclination to care for our elderly. However, even 
with these close family ties, there are cases of elderly, sick, and incapacitated parents 
who were abandoned by their own children. Nowadays, the sights of abandoned 
elderly in our streets become typical. Children fail to provide the necessary support to 
their aging, sick and incapacitated parents. This happens despite our moral and 
natural obligation to maintain our parents who need support. On the same vein, our 
Family Code imposes on us the legal obligation to support our elderly. Article 195 of 
our Family Code provides:
Article 195. Subject to the provisions of the succeeding articles, the following 
are obliged to support each other to the whole extent set forth in the preceding article:
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; and
5. Legitimate brothers and sisters, whether of full or half-blood.
However, despite the said provision of the Family Code, many elderly who no 
longer have any means of supporting themselves are being neglected and abandoned


by their children. While the government is doing its best in providing support in the 
form of food and shelter as well as enacting legislation like the Senior Citizens Act, it 
cannot be over-emphasized that taking care of the elderly members of society is not 
only the function of government, but rather it is a shared responsibility of government 
and the children of said elderly. Caring for the aged is neither an exclusively private 
matter to be left to the family nor an exclusive public concern best left to the 
government.
This proposed bill therefore seeks to further strengthen filial responsibility and 
to make it a criminal offense in case of flagrant violation thereof. Abandonment of a 
parent in need of support shall likewise constitute a criminal act. A parent who needs 
support may file a petition for support before the court and pray for the issuance of a 
support order against those children who failed or refused to provide the necessary 
support. The legal representation of the parent in need of support will be provided by 
the Public Attorney's Office and no court fees will be assessed. This bill also seeks to 
establish Old Age Home for the elderly, sick or otherwise incapacitated parents in 
every province and highly urbanized cities.
In light of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
PAN Flip
S^na
ACSON


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
cf t'.it fe* t.ftrii-.i
25 JULIO P4--11
SENATE 
S. B. No. 596
RECEIVED 3Y;__
Introduced by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR PARENT SUPPORT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Parents Welfare Act of
2 
2025"
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Pursuant to Article XV, Section 4 of the
4 
Constitution, it is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the
5 
State may design programs of social security for them. Therefore, the State, together
6 
with the children of parents in need of support, must promote the welfare of parents
7 
who are aged, sick, incapacitated and not capable of supporting themselves.
8 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
9 
the following definition of terms shall be adopted:
10 
a. "Children" includes son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, whether
11 
biological or adoptive, but does not include a minor or those over the age of
12 
majority but are unable to fully take care of themselves due to a physical or
13 
mental disability or condition;
14 
b. "Parent in need of support" refers to the father or mother or other direct
15 
ascendants who is a senior citizen, aged, sickly, or who, regardless of age, is


1 
permanently incapacitated or otherwise not capable of supporting themselves;
2 
and
3 
c. "Support" includes provisions indispensable for sustenance, clothing, residence,
4 
medical attendance and treatment, recreation and other amenities necessary
5 
for the parent in need of support to lead a normal life and in keeping with the
6 
financial capacity of the family.
7 
Sec. 4. Support. - A parent in need of support who is unable to maintain
8 
himself/herself from his/her own earning or out of the property owned by him/her or
9 
who is incapacitated or otherwise incapable of supporting himself/herself shall be
10 
given support by his/her children. If the parent concerned has several children, the
11 
support to be given shall be divided among them in proportion to their resources or
12 
financial capacity and in such manner as may be just and equitable. Grandchildren
13 
shall only be liable to support their ascendants if the children of such ascendants
14 
cannot fulfill their duty to support due to death, illness or if they are unable to fully
15 
take care of themselves due to physical or mental disability or condition.
16 
Sec. 5. Demand for Support. - No demand for support is necessary before the
17 
obligation to support accrues. However, prior request for support, which was denied
18 
or unacted within an unreasonable period of time, is a requirement for the filing of a
19 
Petition for Support before a court of competent jurisdiction.
20 
Sec. 6. Payment of Support. - In instances where the parent in need of support
21 
is not being maintained by his/her children in their dwelling, or only one of the children
22 
of the parent concerned is taking care of him/her in his/her dwelling, the share for the
23 
support of such parent by children who has no custody shall be paid within the first
24 
five (5) days of every month.
25 
The court, in its discretion, may order for the payment of a lump sum, or a
26 
monthly allowance or periodical payment for such a period as the court may determine
27 
taking into consideration the circumstances of the parties. The manner and method
28 
of payment of support shall also be under the discretion of the court.
29 
Sec. 7. Option in the Fulfillment of the Obligation to Support. - The children of
30 
the parent in need of support shall have the option to fulfill the obligation either by
31 
paying the support fixed by the Support Order, or by receiving and maintaining in the


1 
family dwelling the parent concerned. The latter alternative cannot be availed of in
2 
case there is a moral or legal obstacle thereto.
3 
Sec. 8. Support Order. - A support order is an order issued under this Act for
4 
the purpose of compelling the children to provide the necessary support to their
5 
parent.
6 
The order shall include the name/s of the children required to give support, the
7 
amount necessary for the support of their parent, and the share of each of the
8 
children.
9 
It shall be immediately executory and no temporary restraining order or
10 
injunction shall be issued by any court, except the Supreme Court, to stay the said
11 
order.
12 
The order may be modified from time to time, upon motion of the applicant,
13 
according to the necessities of the recipient and the resources or means of the children
14 
obliged to furnish support.
15 
In case of urgent need and by special circumstances, the court may order only
16 
one of the children to furnish the support provisionally, without prejudice to his/her
17 
right to claim from the other children the share due from them.
18 
Sec. 9. Petition for Support. — A Petition for Support may be filed in the regional
19 
trial court with territorial jurisdiction over the place of residence of the petitioner:
20 
Provided, however, that if a family court exists in the place of residence of the
21 
petitioner, the application shall be filed with that court.
22 
The petition may be filed against one or more persons who have the obligation
23 
to support the parent concerned. Children against whom a petition for support has
24 
been filed may implead other children who are similarly liable to give said support.
25 
The death of one of the children of the parent in need of support will not affect
26 
the liability of others.
27 
The petition shall be resolved within ninety (90) days from the date of the
28 
service of summons to the respondents The period may be extended once for a
29 
maximum period of thirty (30) days in exceptional circumstance and the reason/s to
30 
be stated in the Order or decision.
31 
Sec. 10. Contents of the Petition. - The petition must state the following:
32 
a. the Identity of the parent in need of support, his/her residence and age;


1 
b. the facts showing that the parent in need of support is a senior citizen, aged,
2 
sickly, or who regardless of age is permanently incapacitated or otherwise not
3 
capable of supporting himself/herself;
4 
c. that the parent in need of support is unable to maintain himself/herself from
5 
his/her own earning or out of the property owned by him/her or that he/she is
6 
permanently incapacitated or otherwise incapable of supporting
7 
himself/herself;
8 
d. the names of the children, their degree of relationship with the parent in need
9 
of support and their current status; and,
10 
e. the approximate amount and care needed by the parent in need of support.
11 
Sec. 11. Who may file Petition for Support. -The Petition for Support may be
12 
filed by any of the following:
13 
a. the parent in need of support;
14 
b. children of the parent in need of support against those who do not provide or
15 
contribute for the support of the former;
16 
c. ascendants, descendants or collateral relatives within the fourth civil degree of
17 
consanguinity or affinity;
18 
d. officers or social workers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
19 
(DSWD) or social workers of local government units (LGUs);
20 
e. lawyer or healthcare provider of the parent in need of support;
21 
f. any person or institution who has the care of the parent in need of support;
22 
g. at least two (2) concerned responsible citizens of the city or municipality where
23 
the parent in need of support resides.
24 
Sec. 12. Support Pendente Lite. - The court, during the pendency of the
25 
proceeding, shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Rules of Court, order such
26 
children to provide interim support to their parent.
27 
Sec. 13. Right to Legal Representation. - The parent in need of support shall
28 
be represented by the Public Attorney's Office notwithstanding that the petition was
29 
filed by other person/s or institution/s for and in behalf of the parent.
30 
Sec. 14. Payment of Court Fees. - The Petition for Support filed by the parent
31 
in need of support shall be exempt from all court charges and fees whether they filed
32 
the petition for support personally or the same was filed in their behalf.


1 
Sec. 15. Circumstances to be considered in the Issuance of Support Order. -
2 
The court, in granting the Petition for Support, shall consider, but shall not be limited
3 
to, the following circumstances:
4 
a. the financial needs of the parent in need of support, taking into account
5 
reasonable expenses for housing and medical costs;
6 
b. the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources of the
7 
parent concerned and the manner in which such parent has spent his/her
8 
savings or dissipated his/her financial resources;
9 
c. the physical or mental disability of the parent concerned; the income, earning
10 
capacity, property and other financial resources of the respondent/s;
11 
d. the expenses incurred by the respondent in supporting his/her own
12 
requirements, his/her spouse and that of his/her children; and,
13 
e. the contributions and provisions, whether financial or otherwise, which the
14 
respondent has made for the maintenance of his/her parent.
15 
Sec. 16. Ground for Non-Issuance of Support Order. - If the court determines
16 
after due notice and hearing that the parent in need of support abandoned, abused
17 
or neglected the respondent, it may dismiss the petition or may reduce the quantum
18 
of support ordered 
by such amount as may be just. The burden of proving
19 
abandonment, abuse or neglect shall be on the respondent alleging it.
20 
Sec. 17. Power of the Court to Vary or Rescind Support Order. - The court may
21 
vary or rescind any subsisting Support Order based on any misrepresentation or
22 
mistake of fact, or where there has been any material change in the circumstances of
23 
the parent in need of support or any of his/her children or where other children is
24 
joined as a respondent, or for other good cause shown to the satisfaction of the court.
25 
Sec. 18. Conciliation and Mediation. - In order to preserve the family unity and
26 
peace, the court, before hearing the petition, shall refer the parties to a conciliation
27 
officer for mediation.
28 
Sec. 19. Effect of Failure to Give Support. - Where a Support Order has been
29 
issued by the court and the children so ordered fail to comply, without sufficient cause
30 
or reason, the court may, for every breach of order, issue a warrant for levying the
31 
amount due in the manner provided for levying of fines. Provided that, if the
32 
respondent continues to fail in giving said support for three (3) consecutive months


1 
without justifiable cause, the respondent shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of
2 
one month to six months or a fine of one hundred thousand pesos (PhP 100,000.00)
3 
at the discretion of the court.
4 
Sec. 20. Abandonment of a Parent in need of support. - Whoever, having the
5 
care or protection of a parent in need of support, leaves such parent in any place with
6 
the intention of wholly abandoning the latter shall be punished with imprisonment of
7 
six (6) years to ten (10) years and a fine of not less than three hundred thousand
8 
pesos (P 300, 000.00).
9 
Sec. 21. Establishment of Old Age Home. - It is hereby mandated that all
10 
provincial government and highly urbanized cities shall establish and maintain at least
11 
one (1) Old Age Home that can accommodate at least fifty (50) parents.
12 
Sec. 22. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
13 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
14 
provisions thereof.
15 
Sec. 23. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders and issuances or portion
16 
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed or
17 
modified accordingly.
18 
Sec. 24. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
19 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved,
20 
Approved,