Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Giselle Mary L. Maceda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE  
Article XV, Section 3(2) of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the 
Philippines mandates that “The State shall defend the right of children to 
assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all 
forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to 
their development.” This constitutional directive underscores the State’s solemn 
obligation to ensure that every Filipino child receives the necessary support and 
care essential to their physical, emotional, and social development. 
In furtherance of this constitutional policy, Article 195 of the Family Code 
of the Philippines clearly provides that parents are obliged to support their 
legitimate and illegitimate children. This legal obligation is not only a moral 
imperative but a legal duty enforceable by law. 
Despite these clear legal provisions, the country continues to witness a 
rising number of cases wherein children are left without adequate or consistent 
financial support from their non-custodial or absentee parents. This systemic 
neglect not only places undue financial and emotional burden on the custodial 
parent, usually the mother, but also severely compromises the child’s welfare, 
development, and overall well-being. 
While Republic Act No. 9262, or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and 
Their Children Act of 2004,” criminalizes acts of depriving or threatening to 
deprive a woman or her child of financial support, it requires that such deprivation 
be proven to have been done with the intent of controlling or restricting the 
August 27, 2025
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movement or conduct of the woman or her child. This legal threshold, while 
appropriate in cases of abuse, limits the effectiveness of holding errant parents 
accountable for failing to fulfill their duty of child support in ordinary 
circumstances. 
This bill seeks to address the existing gap in the current legal framework by 
introducing a focused and streamlined mechanism that is solely dedicated to the 
issue of child support. It proposes the establishment of an administrative 
procedure for the determination, collection, and enforcement of child support 
obligations. Furthermore, it introduces penalties for non-compliance or refusal to 
provide child support, even outside the context of abuse or control. 
By enacting this measure, the State will not only affirm its constitutional 
duty to safeguard children’s rights but also provide practical tools for custodial 
parents and guardians to seek justice and ensure the well-being of the most 
vulnerable sector of our society—our children. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
  REP. GISELLE MARY L. MACEDA 
 4th District, Manila City 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Giselle Mary L. Maceda 
AN ACT  
ENSURING CHILD SUPPORT AND PENALIZING PARENTAL REFUSAL 
OR NEGLECT THEREOF 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the CHILD SUPPORT 
RESPONSIBILITY ACT.  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. –   It is the policy of the State to afford greater 
protection to Filipino children, recognizing them as one of the most vulnerable 
sectors of society. The State shall uphold the rights of children and ensure the 
provision of their fundamental needs, including nutritious food, adequate shelter, 
education, and healthcare.  
Pursuant to Article II, Section 13 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the State shall 
promote and protect the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of all 
children. As a State Party to the United National Convention on the Rights of the 
Child, the Philippines reaffirms its commitment to exert all appropriate efforts to 
promote the holistic development and growth of children into responsible and 
productive members of society.  
It shall also be the policy of the State to: 
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a) Strengthen marriage as a vital social institution and a foundational element 
in promoting the best interests of the child;  
 
b) Promote responsible parenthood as essential to effective child-rearing and 
development;  
 
c) Ensure the enforcement of child support obligations in all cases;  
 
d) Assist families and parents in establishing paternity and filiation; and  
 
e) Implement preventive measures to ensure children are not left without 
support, including: securing parents’ access to sustainable livelihood and 
decent wages; providing parenting programs to promote understanding of 
parental duties in child development and care; strengthening parent-child 
relationships through education and awareness; enhancing parental 
responsiveness to the needs and challenges faced by children; and 
encouraging active parental participation in family and community-based 
initiatives.  
 
 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
 
a) Best interests of the child refer to the totality of the circumstances and 
conditions that are most conducive to the survival, protection, and feelings 
of security of the child and most encouraging to the child’s physical, 
psychological, and emotional development. It also refers to the least 
detrimental alternative available for safeguarding the growth and 
development of the child;  
 
b) Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age, or persons eighteen 
(18) years or older who are unable to fully care for or protect themselves 
from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination due to a 
physical or mental disability or condition. Existing laws that extend this 
definition to persons over the age of eighteen (18) shall also be recognized;  
 
c) Child Support refers to the regular financial contribution provided by the 
non-custodial parent to the custodial parent or parent-substitute to ensure 
the adequate support and well-being of their common child or children. The 
amount shall be proportional to the resources or means of the non-custodial 
parent and the needs of the child, and shall cover maintenance, sustenance, 
shelter, clothing, medical care, education, and transportation. Child support 
shall also include arrears or reimbursements, which may cover related costs 
and fees, interest, penalties, and attorneys’ fees, when applicable;  
 


 
d) Child Support Register refers to the databased established under this Act; 
  
e) Complex Cases refer to child support cases that are extremely difficult for the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to resolve 
administratively, such as questions on paternity and filiation of a child, and 
the same cannot be established pursuant to Articles 172 and 175 of Executive 
Order (E.O.) No. 209, as amended, otherwise known as the “Family Code of 
the Philippines”;  
 
f) Custodial Parent refers to a parent who primarily or solely lives with the child 
and takes on the responsibility of raising the child on a day-to-day basis in 
the absence of the co-parent who is otherwise alive;  
 
g) National Child Support Office (NCSO) refers to the office established within 
the DSWD tasked to: 1) implement the National Child Support Program 
(NCSP) under this Act; 2) administer and resolve child support cases falling 
within its administrative jurisdiction; 3) supervise and coordinate with 
Regional Child Support Offices (RCSO) in implementing the NCSP 
nationwide; 4) formulate and issue guidelines for the effective 
implementation of the NCSP; and 5) comply with and implement 
international treaties and conventions on children’s rights to which the 
Philippines is a signatory or State Party, including the United Nations 
Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Hague Convention of 
23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and 
Other Forms of Family Maintenance, and other relevant international 
instruments;  
 
h) Non-custodial or Absentee Parent refers to the parent who does not have 
primary physical custody of the child and who, without justifiable reason, 
fails or refuses to comply with their child support obligations;  
 
i) Parent Locator Service (PLS) refers to the system or integrated mechanisms 
managed by the NCSO to assist custodial parents or other interested parties 
in locating non-custodial or absentee parents for purposes of establishing 
paternity, securing child support, and enforcing or modifying child support 
orders;  
 
j) Parent-substitute refers to a person other than the biological parent who has 
custody over a child and is primarily responsible for the child’s care, and 
physical, moral, and intellectual development, such as foster care parents, 
legal guardians, and care providers: Provided, That surrogate parents shall 
secure a certification from the proper office of the DSWD conferring them 
as a parent-substitute;  
 


 
k) Regional Child Support Offices refer to offices established within the DSWD 
Regional Offices that handle administrative child support cases, perform 
functions under this Act, and administer and maintain the child support 
register established under this Act;  
 
l) Simple Cases refer to child support cases that may be resolved 
administratively by the DSWD when: a) the non-custodial parent is 
identified as the child’s parent in the birth certificate or in a final court 
judgment; or b) the non-custodial parent has voluntarily acknowledge the 
child in a public instrument or a private handwritten instrument signed by 
the parent, consistent with Title VI of E.O. No. 209; and  
 
m) Support Order refers to a provisional or final order issued by the RCSO in 
connection with the administrative proceedings for obtaining child support 
under this Act. It imposes a legal obligation on the non-custodial parent to 
provide monthly financial support to their children in an amount 
proportionate to the resources or means of the non-custodial parent and the 
needs of the children, as determined during the administrative proceedings. 
 
 
SECTION 4. Establishment of the National Child Support Program. – There is hereby 
established a National Child Support Program (NCSP) to facilitate efficient 
collaboration between national and local government units in administering child 
support services. The NCSP shall provide the following services:  
 
a) Assist in locating non-custodial or absentee parents;  
 
b) Assist in establishing paternity and filiation;  
 
c) Issue Child Support Orders after an administrative proceeding involving 
simple cases as defined under this Act;  
 
d) Determine, review, and modify Child Support Orders;  
 
e) Enforce and monitor compliance of Child Support Orders issued pursuant 
to this Act;  
 
f) Promulgate necessary rules and regulations; and  
 
g) Comply with and implement international treaties and conventions on 
children’s rights to which the Philippines is a signatory or State Party, 
including the UNCRC, the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the 
International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family 
Maintenance, and other relevant international instruments.  


 
The NCSP shall be implemented by the NCSO created under the DSWD, in 
coordination with relevant government agencies (NGAs) and local government 
units (LGUs).  
 
To support implementation at the regional level, a RCSO shall be established 
within each DSWD Regional Office. Each RCSO shall:  
 
a) Handle administrative child support cases;  
 
b) Administer and update the Regional Child Support Register; and  
 
c) Coordinate with NGAs and LGUs to assist in establishing paternity, 
locating non-custodial parents, and ensuring compliance with Support 
Orders.  
 
The NCSO shall supervise, monitor, and provide technical and operational 
support to the RCSOs to ensure uniform implementation of the Program 
nationwide.  
 
 
SECTION 5. Participation of Local Government Units. – The LGUs shall, upon 
request, assist the RCSOs in the following:  
 
a) Locating the non-custodial parents or absentee parents;  
 
b) Establishing paternity and filiation; and  
 
c) Enforcing and ensuring compliance with Support Orders issued under this 
Act.  
 
LGUs shall likewise cooperate with concerned NGAs and other LGUs in 
supporting the RCSOs in handling administrative child support cases.  
 
 
SECTION 6. Participation of National Government Agencies. – The concerned NGAs 
shall, upon request, assist the RCSOs in: 
 
a) Locating the non-custodial parents or absentee parents;  
 
b) Establishing paternity and filiation; and  
 
c) Enforcing and ensuring compliance with Support Orders issued under this 
Act.  
 


 
To support the enforcement of Orders, the Department of Foreign Affairs, 
Department of Labor and Employment, Land Transportation Office, Professional 
Regulation Commission, and other concerned NGAs shall cooperate with the 
RCSOs through the following measures, subject to applicable laws and due 
process:  
 
1. Wage Deduction – Facilitating the deduction of child support amounts from 
the salary or payroll of the non-custodial parent;  
 
2. Property Attachment – Imposing liens, encumbrances, or attachments on 
the personal or real properties of the non-custodial parent;  
 
3. Asset Garnishment – Withholding or garnishing salaries, wages, bank 
deposits, loan proceeds, tax refunds, monetary prizes, insurance claims, or 
any similar sources of income of the non-custodial parent;  
 
4. License and Passport Restriction – Withholding issuance, or suspending or 
restricting the use of driver’s licenses, professional or occupational licenses, 
and passports of the non-custodial parent, unless said parent executes an 
undertaking under oath to settle or update unpaid child support within six 
(6) months; and 
 
5. Fraudulent Transfers – Declaring void any transfer of property intended to 
defraud or avoid compliance with a Support Order, subject to existing laws.  
 
To further support compliance, the DOLE, Technical Education and Skills 
Development Authority, and DSWD shall prioritize eligible non-custodial parents 
in appropriate government employment, livelihood, financial assistance, and skills 
training programs to enhance their capacity to fulfill their child support 
obligations under this Act.  
 
No enforcement under this Section shall be implemented without observance of 
due process and compliance with existing laws.  
 
 
SECTION 7. Composition of the NCSO. – The NCSO shall be headed by the 
Secretary of the DSWD, who shall serve as Chairperson. Each RCSO shall be 
headed by the Regional Director of the corresponding DSWD Field Office.  
 
The Secretary of the DSWD shall determine the organizational structure and 
staffing pattern for the purpose in accordance with the revised compensation and 
position classification system subject to the evaluation and approval of the 
Department of Budget and Management and in compliance with the civil service 
laws, rules and regulations.    


 
SECTION 8. Functions of the National Child Support Office. – The NCSO, through the 
RCSOs, shall perform the following key functions:  
 
(a) Assist in locating non-custodial or absentee parent. – Subject to compliance 
with Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the “Data Privacy Act 
of 2012,” and other applicable laws, the RCSO may obtain necessary 
information from the custodial parent, parent-substitute, or relatives, or 
through the DSWD’s PLS. This includes the name, address, identification 
number of the non-custodial parent, the child’s birth certificate or 
equivalent documents establishing paternity and filiation, court decrees, 
and information on the non-custodial parent’s employment or sources of 
income. The RCSO shall ensure confidentiality of information that may 
come to their knowledge and possession.  
 
If the non-custodial parent cannot be located, the RCSO may request 
assistance from relevant government agencies and LGUs.  
 
(b) Assist in establishing paternity and filiation. – Establishing paternity and 
filiation is a prerequisite to issuing a Support Order under this Act. It 
may be proved through: a) the child’s record of birth appearing in the 
civil register or a final court judgment; or b) an admission of legitimate 
filiation in a public document or a private handwritten instrument and 
signed by the parent concerned, as provided under the Family Code.  
 
If the non-custodial parent acknowledges paternity during the 
administrative proceedings, the RCSO shall facilitate the execution and 
proper registration of the acknowledgement in the Local Civil Registry 
Office. If the non-custodial parent denies paternity, the RCSO shall 
require a sworn affidavit of denial. A false denial may be prosecuted 
under Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as “The Revised 
Penal Code.” 
 
If paternity cannot be established administratively, the case must be 
referred to the proper court for judicial determination, subject to existing 
laws.  
 
(c) Determine the amount of child support. – The RCSO shall determine the 
amount of child support based on the needs of the child and the ability, 
resources, or means of the non-custodial parent to provide support. The 
DSWD, in coordination with the National Economic Development 
Authority, shall issue guidelines adopting a fixed percentage of income, 
which may be adjusted for factors such as disability, number of children, 
or substantial changes in financial capacity.  
 


 
(d)  Issue Support Orders. – The RCSO shall issue provisional or final Support 
Orders pursuant to administrative proceedings conducted under this 
Act for the purpose of establishing child support. Such orders shall 
impose a legal obligation on the non-custodial parent to provide 
monthly financial support to their children in an amount proportionate 
to the parent’s resources or means and the needs of the children, as 
determined during said proceedings. Financial support shall likewise be 
extended to a child over eighteen (18) years of age to cover expenses 
related to tertiary education. Support Orders shall be immediately 
executory.  
 
In case of disagreement with the Support Order or the amount of 
support, a parent may file a request for reconsideration before the RCSO. 
However, the filing of such a request shall not stay the execution of the 
Support Order. In the absence of any order modifying or revising the 
amount of support, the custodial parent shall be required to comply with 
the Support Order without delay.  
 
Willful refusal to comply with a Support Order shall subject the non-
custodial parent to penalties under Section 14 of this Act.    
 
(e) Review and modify Support Order. – The RCSO shall review and modify 
Support Orders upon proof of a substantial change in circumstances, in 
accordance with the prescribed guidelines. A request for review may be 
filed before the RCSO by either parent, a parent- substitute, a relative, or 
by the child who is at least fifteen (15) years of age.  
 
 
(f) Monitor compliance with Support Order. – The RCSO shall monitor 
compliance with the Support Order and may require the custodial 
parent, parent-substitute, or relative to provide periodic reports to 
ensure that funds are used for the child’s welfare. The NCSO shall 
establish secure and efficient remittance mechanisms, including banks, 
financial institutions, and digital payment systems, and other existing 
technologies to facilitate the receipt of child support.  
 
(g) Enforce Support Orders. – Upon willful noncompliance, the RCSO may 
enforce the Support Order through measures including wage 
withholding, garnishment of assets, attachment of property, imposition 
of liens, or other lawful means to satisfy outstanding obligations. The 
enforcement of the Support Order shall be without prejudice to the filing 
of a separate criminal case for willful failure to pay child support under 
Section 14 of this Act;  
 


 
(h) Promulgate rules and regulations. – The NCSO shall promulgate 
implementing rules and internal procedures to carry out the intent and 
provisions of this Act; and  
 
(i) Comply and implement relevant international instruments. – The NCSO and 
RCSOs shall comply with and implement international treaties and 
conventions on children’s rights to which the Philippines is a signatory 
or State Party, including the UNCRC, the Hague Convention of 23 
November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and 
Other Forms of Family Maintenance, and other relevant international 
instruments. They shall also facilitate access to cross-border remedies in 
the best interests of the child.  
 
 
SECTION 9. Who May File a Petition for Administrative Child Support. – A Petition 
for Administrative Child Support may be filed by any of the following:  
 
1. Custodial parent;  
 
2. Parent-substitute; or  
 
3. Relative within the fourth (4th) degree of consanguinity or affinity, who has 
actual custody of the child and is raising the child in the absence of the non-
custodial parent or parents.  
 
The DSWD, through the RCSO, shall screen and assess the eligibility of the parent-
substitute or relative to determine whether such person indeed has actual custody 
and is actively raising the child.  
 
The petition shall state the relevant facts necessary to establish entitlement to child 
support and shall be in the form of a sworn affidavit executed by the petitioner 
and subscribed before any person authorized by law to administer oaths.  
 
 
SECTION 10. Where to File the Petition. – The Petition for Administrative Child 
Support, together with complete and original supporting documents, shall be filed 
with the RCSO having jurisdiction over the city or municipality where the child, 
custodial parent, parent-substitute, or relatives within the fourth (4th) degree of 
consanguinity or affinity raising a child on their own, reside, In the absence of a 
local RCSO, the petition may be filed with the nearest DSWD field office, satellite 
office, or extension unit.  
 
 
SECTION 11. Administrative Child Support Process. – The NCSO shall formulate and 
adopt rules governing the administrative child support process to ensure its fair, 


 
expeditious, and non-adversarial disposition. All proceedings shall observe 
administrative due process and be guided by the principles of simplicity and 
accessibility.  
 
Upon receipt of the complete petition and supporting documents, the RCSO shall 
evaluate the evidence and render a decision within twenty-one (21) calendar days. 
No adversarial hearing shall be required, but the RCSO may call for clarificatory 
conferences or require the submission of additional documents to ensure the best 
interests of the child are upheld.  
 
 
SECTION 12. Child Support Register. – The NCSO shall establish and maintain a 
centralized Child Support Register containing official records and statistics of all 
child support cases processed under this Act. The Register shall be managed by a 
Child Support Registrar, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of the DSWD 
from among qualified DSWD personnel.  
 
The format, content, and manner of maintenance of the Register shall be prescribed 
by the DSDW Secretary, in consultation with the Child Support Registrar and 
relevant DSWD offices.  
 
LGUs, through their City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices, 
shall likewise maintain a local registry of child support cases within their 
jurisdiction and regularly transmit reports to the NCSO for consolidation.   
 
 
SECTION 13. Confidentiality. – All records pertaining to child support cases, 
accessed, handled, or processed in all settings, shall be kept confidential. No 
person shall disclose any personally identifiable information, including the name, 
address, or circumstances of the child or the child’s immediate family, unless such 
disclosure is expressly authorized by law; required by a lawful order of a court or 
competent authority; or necessary to protect the best interests of the child. Any 
unauthorized disclosure of confidential information shall be penalized in 
accordance with existing laws, including Republic Act No. 10173. 
 
All persons, agencies, or institutions involved in accessing, handling, reporting, or 
processing personal data under this Act shall observe the principles of legitimate 
purpose, proportionality, and transparency, and shall discharge their obligations 
in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.   
 
In cases of doubt, any provision of this Act shall be interpreted in a manner that 
favors the protection of the right to privacy and the best interests of the child. 
 
 


 
SECTION 14. Willful Failure to Pay Child Support. – Any person who, without 
justifiable cause, willfully fails to comply with a Support Order issued under this 
Act – despite having gainful employment, business, property, or any other source 
of income – shall be guilty of willful failure to pay child support and shall suffer 
the penalty of six (6) months, and one (1) day to two (2) years and four (4) months: 
Provided, That if the offender is a public officer or employee, the penalty of four (4) 
years, two (2) months and one (1) day to six (6) years shall be imposed.  
 
A first-time offender may have the criminal complaint provisionally dismissed by 
fully paying the total overdue and outstanding child support within thirty (30) 
calendar days from official notice of the filing of the criminal complaint: Provided, 
That an interest of six percent (6%) per annum or the prevailing legal interest rate, 
whichever is higher, shall be imposed and collected on the unpaid child support 
computed from the date the Support Order was issued by the RCSO until full 
payment.  
 
The filing of a criminal complaint under this provision shall be without prejudice 
to the filing of other civil, administrative, or criminal cases under existing laws, 
including but not limited to RA 9262, otherwise known as the “Anti-Violence 
Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004”, or RA 7610, as amended, 
otherwise known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, 
Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”  
 
 
SECTION 15. Information Dissemination. – The NCSO shall, in coordination with 
the Philippine Information Agency, the Council for the Welfare of Children, and 
other concerned government agencies, LGUs, nongovernmental organizations 
(NGOs), and civil society organizations (CSOs), undertake a nationwide campaign 
to promote public awareness and understanding of the provisions, mechanisms, 
and objectives of this Act. Such campaign shall ensure that the general public are 
informed of the right to child support, the process of administrative child support, 
and the penalties for non-compliance. Materials shall be made available in major 
Filipino languages and dialects, and disseminated through both traditional and 
digital media, schools, barangays, and community-based programs.   
 
 
SECTION 16. Annual Report. – The NCSO shall, on or before June 30 of each 
calendar year, submit an annual report to Congress, giving a detailed account of 
its 
proceedings 
and 
accomplishments 
during 
the 
year 
and 
making 
recommendations for modifications or improvements to enhance the effectiveness 
of this Act.  
 
 
SECTION 17. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s 


 
appropriations of the departments/agencies concerned. Thereafter, such amount 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  
 
LGUs shall include in their respective local funds the amounts necessary for the 
implementation of this Act.  
 
 
SECTION 18. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DSWD shall, in 
coordination with the concerned government agencies, and upon consultation 
with NGOs, CSOs, and all relevant sectors, promulgate the necessary 
implementing rules and regulations within six (6) months from the approval of 
this Act.    
 
 
SECTION 19. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected 
thereby shall remain in force and effect.  
 
 
SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. – Republic Act No. 7883, otherwise known as the 
“Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995” is hereby repealed. 
All other laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, which are 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.  
 
 
SECTION 21. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
 
Approved,