Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 682 
Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo 
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.”1
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.2
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. Some states allow for civil court action to obtain financial support (or 
1  Wm. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England p. 442 (1765) 
2  A comparative analysis of Filial Responsibility: Italy and United States by Anna Maria De Giacomo 
July 1, 2025
8:00 am


2 
cost recovery), while others make filial non-support a criminal offense, whilst others 
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 
being 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 are in need of 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.
Despite this provision of the Family Code, many elderly people who are no 
longer able to sustain themselves are 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 legislations like the Senior Citizens Act, it cannot be over-
emphasized that taking care of the elderly members of the society is a shared 
responsibility of the government and the children of the elderly. The care for the aged 
is neither an exclusively private matter to be left to the family nor an exclusively 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 in need of 
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 




4 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 682 
Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo 
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: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Parents Welfare Act”. 
1 
SEC. 2. Declaration of principle. - Pursuant to Article XV, Section 4 of the 
2 
Constitution, it is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the 
3 
State may design programs of social security for them. Therefore, the State, together 
4 
with the children of parents in need of support, must promote the welfare of parents 
5 
who are aged, sick, incapacitated and not capable of supporting themselves. 
6 
SEC. 3. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following 
7 
definition of terms shall be adopted: 
8 
(a) "children” includes son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, whether
9 
biological or adoptive, but does not include a minor or those over the age of
10 
majority but are unable to fully take care of themselves due to a physical or
11 
mental disability or condition;
12 
(b) “parent in need of support” refers to the father or mother or other direct
13 
ascendants who is a senior citizen, aged, sickly, or who, regardless of age,
14 
is permanently incapacitated or otherwise not capable of supporting
15 
themselves;
16 
(c) “support” includes provisions indispensable for sustenance, clothing,
17 
residence, medical attendance and treatment, recreation and other
18 
amenities necessary for the parent in need of support to lead a normal life
19 
and in keeping with the financial capacity of the family;
20 
SEC. 4. Support. - A parent in need of support who is unable to maintain 
21 
himself/herself from his/her own earning or out of the property owned by him/her or 
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5 
 
who is incapacitated or otherwise incapable of supporting himself/herself shall be 
1 
given support by his/her children. 
2 
If the parent concerned has several children, the support to be given shall be 
3 
divided among them in proportion to their resources or financial capacity and in such 
4 
manner as may be just and equitable. 
5 
Grandchildren shall only be liable to support their ascendants if the children of 
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such ascendants cannot fulfill their duty to support due to death, illness or if they are 
7 
unable to fully take care of themselves due to physical or mental disability or condition. 
8 
SEC. 5. Demand for Support. - No demand for support is necessary before 
9 
the obligation to support accrues. However, prior request for support, which was 
10 
denied or unacted within an unreasonable period of time, is a requirement for the filing 
11 
of a Petition for Support before a court of competent jurisdiction. 
12 
SEC. 6. Payment of Support. - In instances where the parent in need of 
13 
support is not being maintained by his/her children in their dwelling, or only one of the 
14 
children of the parent concerned is taking care of him/her in his/her dwelling, the share 
15 
for the support of such parent by children who has no custody shall be paid within the 
16 
first five (5) days of every month. 
17 
The court, in its discretion, may order for the payment of a lump sum, or a 
18 
monthly allowance or periodical payment for such a period as the court may determine 
19 
taking into consideration the circumstances of the parties. The manner and method of 
20 
payment of support shall also be under the discretion of the court. 
21 
SEC. 7. Option in the Fulfillment of the Obligation to Support. - The children 
22 
of the parent in need of support shall have the option to fulfill the obligation either by 
23 
paying the support fixed by the Support Order, or by receiving and maintaining in the 
24 
family dwelling the parent concerned. The latter alternative cannot be availed of in 
25 
case there is a moral or legal obstacle thereto. 
26 
SEC. 8. Support Order. - A support order is an order issued under this Act for 
27 
the purpose of compelling the children to provide the necessary support to their parent. 
28 
The order shall include the name/s of the children required to give support, the 
29 
amount necessary for the support of their parent, and the share of each of the children. 
30 
It shall be immediately executory and no temporary restraining order or 
31 
injunction shall be issued by any court, except the Supreme Court, to stay the said 
32 
order. 
33 
The order may be modified from time to time, upon motion of the applicant, 
34 
according to the necessities of the recipient and the resources or means of the children 
35 
obliged to furnish support. 
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In case of urgent need and by special circumstances, the court may order only 
1 
one of the children to furnish the support provisionally, without prejudice to his/her right 
2 
to claim from the other children the share due from them. 
3 
SEC. 9. Petition for Support. - A Petition for Support may be filed in the 
4 
regional trial court with territorial jurisdiction over the place of residence of the 
5 
petitioner: Provided, however, that if a family court exists in the place of residence of 
6 
the petitioner, the application shall be filed with that court. 
7 
The petition may be filed against one or more persons who have the obligation 
8 
to support the parent concerned. Children against whom a petition for support has 
9 
been filed may implead other children who are similarly liable to give said support. 
10 
The death of one of the children of the parent in need of support will not affect 
11 
the liability of others. 
12 
The petition shall be resolved within ninety (90) days from the date of the 
13 
service of summons to the respondents The period may be extended once for a 
14 
maximum period of thirty (30) days in exceptional circumstance and the reason/s to 
15 
be stated in the Order or decision. 
16 
SEC. 10. Contents of the Petition. – The petition must state the following:  
17 
a) the identity of the parent in need of support, his/her residence and age; 
18 
b) the facts showing that the parent in need of support is a senior citizen, aged, 
19 
sickly, or who regardless of age is permanently incapacitated or otherwise 
20 
not capable of supporting himself/herself, 
21 
c) that the parent in need of support is unable to maintain himself/herself from 
22 
his/her own earning or out of the property owned by him/her or that he/she 
23 
is permanently incapacitated or otherwise incapable of supporting 
24 
himself/herself, 
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d) the names of the children, their degree of relationship with the parent in 
26 
need of support and their current status, and, 
27 
e) the approximate amount and care needed by the parent in need of support. 
28 
SEC. 11. Who may file Petition for Support. - The Petition for Support may 
29 
be filed by any of the following: 
30 
a) the parent in need of support;  
31 
b) children of the parent in need of support against those who do not provide 
32 
or contribute for the support of the former, 
33 
c) ascendants, descendants or collateral relatives within the fourth civil degree 
34 
of consanguinity or affinity; 
35 
d) officers or social workers of the Department of Social Welfare and 
36 
Development (DSWD) or social workers of local government units (LGUS); 
37 
e) lawyer or healthcare provider of the parent in need of support; 
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f) any person or institution who has the care of the parent in need of support; 
1 
g) At least two (2) concerned responsible citizens of the city or municipality 
2 
where the parent in need of support resides. 
3 
SEC. 12. Support Pendente Lite. - The court, during the pendency of the 
4 
proceeding, shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Rules of Court, order such 
5 
children to provide interim support to their parent. 
6 
SEC. 13. Right to Legal Representation. - The parent in need of support shall 
7 
be represented by the Public Attorney's Office notwithstanding that the petition was 
8 
filed by other person/s or institution/s for and in behalf of the parent. 
9 
SEC. 14. Payment of Court Fees. - The Petition for Support filed by the parent 
10 
in need of support shall be exempt from all court charges and fees whether they filed 
11 
the petition for support personally or the same was filed in their behalf. 
12 
SEC. 15. Circumstances to be considered in the Issuance of Support 
13 
Order. - The court, in granting the Petition for Support, shall consider, but shall not be 
14 
limited to, the following circumstances: 
15 
a) the financial needs of the parent in need of support, taking into account 
16 
reasonable expenses for housing and medical costs; 
17 
b) the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources of the 
18 
parent concerned and the manner in which such parent has spent his/her 
19 
savings or dissipated his/her financial resources; 
20 
c) the physical or mental disability of the parent concerned; 
21 
d) the income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources of the 
22 
respondent/s; 
23 
e) the expenses incurred by the respondent in supporting his/her own 
24 
requirements, his/her spouse and that of his/her children; and, 
25 
f) the contributions and provisions, whether financial or otherwise, which the 
26 
respondent has made for the maintenance of his/her parent. 
27 
SEC. 16. Ground for Non-Issuance of Support Order. - If the court 
28 
determines after due notice and hearing that the parent in need of support abandoned, 
29 
abused or neglected the respondent, it may dismiss the petition or may reduce the 
30 
quantum of support ordered by such amount as may be just. 
31 
The burden of proving abandonment, abuse or neglect shall be on the 
32 
respondent alleging it. 
33 
SEC. 17. Power of the Court to Vary or Rescind Support Order. - The court 
34 
may vary or rescind any subsisting Support Order based on any misrepresentation or 
35 
mistake of fact, or where there has been any material change in the circumstances of 
36 
the parent in need of support or any of his/her children or where other children is joined 
37 
as a respondent, or for other good cause shown to the satisfaction of the court. 
38 


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SEC. 18. Conciliation and Mediation. - In order to preserve the family unity 
1 
and peace, the court, before hearing the petition, shall refer the parties to a conciliation 
2 
officer for mediation. 
3 
SEC. 19. Effect of Failure to Give Support. - Where a Support Order has 
4 
been issued by the court and the children so ordered fail to comply, without sufficient 
5 
cause or reason, the court may, for every breach of order, issue a warrant for levying 
6 
the amount due in the manner provided for levying of fines. Provided that, if the 
7 
respondent continues to fail in giving said support for three (3) consecutive months 
8 
without justifiable cause, the respondent shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of 
9 
one month to six months or a fine of one hundred thousand pesos (PhP 100,000.00) 
10 
at the discretion of the court. 
11 
SEC. 20. Abandonment of a Parent in need of support. - Whoever, having 
12 
the care or protection of a parent in need of support, leaves such parent in any place 
13 
with the intention of wholly abandoning the latter shall be punished with imprisonment 
14 
of six (6) years to ten (10) years and a fine of not less than three hundred thousand 
15 
pesos (P 300,000.00). 
16 
SEC. 21. Establishment of Old Age Home. - It is hereby mandated that all 
17 
provincial government and highly urbanized cities shall establish and maintain at least 
18 
one (1) Old Age Home that can accommodate at least fifty (50) parents. 
19 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
20 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
21 
provisions thereof. 
22 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders and issuances or 
23 
portion thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby 
24 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
25 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. – Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this Act 
26 
shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) national 
27 
newspapers of general circulation.
28 
 
 
Approved,