EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 1 .*^04
v 
o( iljf l> m  riarf
20 
FEB-3 AlO ^3
R EC ElV lD  BY.
Introduced by SENATOR LEILA M. DE LIMA
AN ACT
AMENDING ARTICLES 14,1 9 ,124, 211 AND 225 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 
NO. 209, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE 
OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 14, Article I of the Constitution provides that “the State recognizes the 
role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before 
the law of women and men”. Standing as basis for equal treatment before the law, this 
precept must be upheld in all facets of a woman’s life, especially in guaranteeing her 
equal status with the husband in the household after marriage.
Republic Act No. 9710, othenvise known as the Magna Carta of Women, calls 
for equal treatment between men and women before the law in Section 12, and 
providing that “the State shall take steps to review and, when necessary, amend and/or 
repeal existing laws that are discriminatory to women within three (3) years from the 
effectivity of this Act.”
The woman’s importance in nation-building starts from her role in the basic 
unit of society, the family. This bill seeks to rectify the inequality in decision-making 
in the household by amending certain provisions in the Family Code of the Philippines. 
These provisions are deemed patriarchal and detrimental to establishing the status of 
married women as partners and equals in their own homes. Progressive amendments 
more apt with the current times are thus introduced in this bill.


As the Philippine Commission on Women pointed out in a policy paper, 
“removing the preferential treatment for the father/husband's decision in (i) giving 
consent to the marriage of a son or daughter, in case of disagreement with the wife, (2) 
in the enjoyment and administration of absolute community or conjugal partnership 
of gains, and (3) in the exercise of parental authority over the person and legal 
guardianship over the property of their common child, will contribute to promoting 
women's rights, ensuring equality before the law between husband and wife, and 
transforming gender relations between the spouses.”1
The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 
(CEDAW) honors the contribution of women to family welfare and societal 
development and advocates for a measure that will finally strike the balance between 
parents and recognize “the social significance of maternity and the role of both parents 
in the family and in the upbringing of children”.1 2
Approval of this measure is sought.
JI.EIIA M. DU LIMA
1 P h ilip p in e  C om m ission on  W o m e n . "Policy Brief No. 6: Ensuring Women's Equol Rights in Morriage and Family 
Relations: Amending Articles 14, 19, 124, 211 and 225 o f the Family Code o f the Philippines." A va ila b le  a t: 
h ttp s ://w w w .p c w .g o v .p h /w p la /e n s u rin g -w o m e n % E 2 % 8 0 % 9 9 s -e q u a l-rig h ts -m a rria g e -a n d -fa m ily -re la tio n s - 
a m e n d in g -a rtic le s -1 4 -1 9 -1 2 4 -2 1 1 -a n d -2 2 5 -fa m ily -c o d e -p h ilip p in e s  <last visite d  on  20 M a y 2019>
2 C o n ve n tio n  on th e  E lim in a tio n  o f A ll Form s o f D is c rim in a tio n  against W o m e n . (18 D e ce m b e r 1979) A va ila b le  
a t: h ttp s ://w w w .o h c h r.o rg /e n /p ro fe s s io n a lin te re s t/p a g e s /c e d a w .a s p x


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 
1 3 0 4
of tl)f ifc^rrctflrp
20 m “3 AlO •■43
RECEIVLDBY-..
Introduced by SENATOR LEILA M. DE LIMA * 1 1
AN ACT
AMENDING ARTICLES 14,19,124, 211 AND 225 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 
NO. 209, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FAMILY CODE 
OF THE PHILIPPINES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTTON 1. Article 14 of E.O. No. 209 shall be amended, as follows:
2 
“ART. 14. In case either or both of the
3 
contracting 
parties, 
not 
having 
been
4 
emancipated by a previous marriage, are
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between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one,
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they shall, in addition to the requirements of
7 
the preceding articles, exhibit to the local civil
8 
registrar, the consent to their marriage of
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EITHER their father OR mother, or that of
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the surviving parent or guardian, or persons
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having legal charge of them, in case of death,
12 
incapacity or judgment of civil interdiction of
13 
the father or mother, 
[in the order
14 
mentioned]. 
Such 
consent 
shall 
be
15 
manifested in writing by the interested party.


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who personally appears before the proper 
local civil registrar, or in the form of an 
affidavit made in the presence of two 
witnesses and attested before any official 
authorized by law to administer oaths. The 
personal manifestation shall be recorded in 
both applications for marriage license, and 
the affidavit, if one is executed instead, shall 
be attached to said applications.”
SEC. 2. Article 96 of E.O. No. 209 shall be amended, as follows:
“Art. 96. The administration and enjoyment 
of the community property shall belong to 
both 
spouses 
jointly. 
[In 
case 
of 
disagreement, the husband’s decision shall 
prevail, subject to recourse to the court by the 
wife for proper remedy, which must be 
availed of within five years from the date of 
the contract implementing such decision.] IN 
CASE 
OF 
DISAGREEMENT, 
THE 
SPOUSES MAY OPT TO RESORT TO 
THE COURTS, WTHCII SHALL THEN 
RESOLVE 
THE 
DISAGREEMENT 
BASED ON LAW AND EQUITY. ON 
MATTERS 
RELATING 
TO 
THE 
DISAGREEMENT, NEITHER OF THE 
SPOUSES 
SHALL 
UNILATERALLY 
CARRY 
OUT 
ACTS 
OF 
ADMINISTRATION 
OVER 
THE 
COMMUNITY PROPERTY WITHOUT 
FIRST 
OBTAINING 
A 
PROPER 
JUDICIAL ORDER. xxx”
SEC. 3. Article 124 of E.O. No. 209 shall be amended, as follows:


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“Art. 
124. 
The 
administration 
and 
enjoyment of the conjugal partnership shall 
belong to both spouses jointly. [In case of 
disagreement, the husband’s decision shall 
prevail, subject to recourse to the court by the 
wife for proper remedy, which must be 
availed of within five years from the date of 
the contract implementing such decision.] 
IN CASE OF DISAGREEMENT, THE 
SPOUSES MAY OPT TO RESORT TO 
THE COURTS, WHICH SHALL THEN 
RESOLVE 
THE 
DISAGREEMENT 
BASED ON LAW AND EQUITY. ON 
MATTERS 
RELATING 
TO 
THE 
DISAGREEMENT, NEITHER OF THE 
SPOUSES 
SHALL 
UNILATERALLY 
CARRY 
OUT 
ADMINISTRATION 
CONJUGAL 
WITHOUT 
FIRST
ACTS 
OF 
OVER 
THE 
PARTNERSHIP 
OBTAINING 
A
PROPER JUDICIAL ORDER. xxx”
SEC. 4. Article 211 of E.O. No. 209 shall be amended, as follows:
“Art. 211. The father and the mother shall 
jointly exercise parental authority over the 
persons of their common children. [In case of 
disagreement, the father’s decision shall 
prevail, unless there is a judicial order to the 
contrary'.] 
IN 
CASE 
OF
DISAGREEMENT, 
THE 
SPOUSES 
SHALL RESORT TO THE COURTS 
WHICH SHALL THEN DECIDE THE 
CASE BASED ON THE BEST INTEREST 
OF THE CHILD, xxx ”


1 
SEC. 5. Article 225 of E.O. No. 209 shall be amended, as follows:
2 
“Art. 225. The father and the mother shall
3 
jointly exercise legal guardianship over the
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propert>r of the unemancipated common
5 
child without the necessity of a court
6 
appointment. [In case of disagreement, the
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father’s decision shall prevail, unless there is
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a judicial order to the contrary.] IN CASE
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OF DISAGREEMENT, THE SPOUSES
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SHALL RESORT TO THE COURTS
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WHICH SHALL THEN DECIDE THE
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CASE BASED ON THE BEST INTEREST
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OF THE CHILD, xxx’’
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SEC. 6. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or provision of
15 
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall
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not be affected and thereby remain in full force and effect.
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SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
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executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the
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provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
21 
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general
22 
circulation.
Approved,