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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
DEFINING PARENTAL RIGHTS AND AUTHORITY OVER MINOR AND 
UNEMANCIPATED CHILDREN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
God instituted the family and government. But while God commanded men to 
obey the law [1 Peter 2:13] and to submit to authorities [Romans 13:1], He put the Family 
in a higher level when He said: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right”. 
“Honour thy father and thy mother; which is the first commandment with promise”; “That it may 
be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” [Ephesians 6:1-3, KJV] It is not to 
diminish respect and obedience to the State and the government to impress the truth that 
it is obedience to parents that is impressed with a Divine promise. By divine declaration, 
parental authority over children is supreme to government authority, which is 
complementary and plays a supporting role in nature. 
Since the beginning of time, immorality; unrighteousness; hatred; lack of 
discipline; riotous living; covetousness; corruption; disrespect to law, authority and 
parents; lust for money, identity, power and influence; poverty, among others, have 
engulfed the world, wrecking families, destroying relationships, sowing disorder, and 
even bringing down leaders and governments. 
This is very true in our country, despite the Constitutional declarations that: “the 
State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and 
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being” [Sec. 13, Art. 
II, Constitution], and “All educational institutions shall teach the rights and duties of 
citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral character and personal 
discipline” [Secs. 3(1) and (2), Art. XIV, Constitution]. 
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These are all issues of character and discipline. And right discipline must start in 
the heart of a child. “Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not 
depart from it” [Proverbs 22:6, KJV]. So, our Constitution declares that the State recognizes 
the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic 
autonomous social institution. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the 
rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall 
receive the support of the government (Sec. 12, Art. II, Constitution), and that the Filipino 
family is the foundation of the nation and accordingly the State shall strengthen its 
solidarity and actively promote its total development (Sec. 1, Art. XV, Constitution). 
God gave parents clear instructions towards their children: 1) teach them God’s 
principles [Deuteronomy 6:7], 2) train them in the ways of God {Proverbs 22:6}, 3) provide 
for their physical needs {1 Timothy 5.8}, 4) nurture them by chastening and admonishing 
them {Ephesians d. 4); 5) love them Titus 2.4), and 6) control them (/ Timothy 3:4). Thus, 
the development of the moral character, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of a 
child starts right in the home under the watchful eyes of his/her parents. 
The rearing of the youth is the primary duty and responsibility of parents, and the 
authority of the government complements the same. This Bill emphasizes that the 
authority of parents [Patria Potestas or power of a father] in rearing their children is 
superior to the authority of the State [Parens patriae or parent of his or her country]. It is 
the parents who have the power and the primary authority to set the direction of their 
children, and the State complements parental authority or acts in a supporting role with 
the aim and purpose of protecting the rights of a minor when he is placed under an 
unfavorable situation by reason of his age or incapacity. 
We must realize that God gave parents, not the State or government, the primary 
duty and responsibility to rear their children. This Bill, therefore, seeks to emphasize in 
unequivocal terms, and give meaning to, the primary duty and responsibility of parents 
in the rearing of the youth in general and their children in particular, and the 
corresponding obligation of children to submit to and obey their parents. 
In the light of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly 
requested. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
DEFINING PARENTAL RIGHTS AND AUTHORITY OVER MINOR AND 
UNEMANCIPATED CHILDREN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in session 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the Parental Rights Act of 2025. 
SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. — Consistent with the Constitutional declarations that: 
the State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family 
as a basic autonomous social institution; the natural and primary right and duty of 
parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral 
character shall receive the support of the government; the State recognizes the vital role 
of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual, and social well-being; the State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation 
of the nation, and accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its 
total development; the State shall defend the right of spouses to found a family in 
accordance with their religious convictions and demands of responsible parenthood and 
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, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to emphasize, 
promote, protect and uphold the natural parental authority and superior right of parents 
in rearing their minor and unemancipated children. 
It is likewise the policy of the State to enjoin children to submit to the direction and 
discipline of their parents, especially while living with them and under their care and 
support. 
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SEC. 3. Parental rights and authority of parents over their children. — Parents have the 
natural and primary duty and responsibility to rear their children for civic efficiency and 
the development of their moral character, and to protect them from all forms of abuse, 
cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development. In the 
exercise of such duty and responsibility, the best interest of the child shall be the 
paramount consideration. The parental authority of parents as patria potestas over their 
minor and unemancipated children is superior to that of the government. The 
government, in the exercise of its authority as parens patriae, may intervene in a 
complementary and supportive role when the safety or security of the minor or 
unemancipated child requires it on account of his/her minority or incapacity. 
 
SEC. 4. Standard and extent of parental discipline over minor and unemancipated 
children. The rearing of children being the natural and primary duty and responsibility of 
their parents, such duty and responsibility shall include the right and authority to teach, 
train, provide, nurture, love, control and discipline their children, and to decide on the 
education that their minor or unemancipated children should pursue, as well as the 
school or institution of learning where they should pursue their education, as they may 
deem best and with due recognition and respect to their religious beliefs and to biblical 
principles and/or any religious book and standards they believe in that are pertinent to 
such duty and responsibility, without interference from the government. 
 
SEC. 5. Duty of children to submit to parental authority. — Children who are minors 
or unemancipated and living with their parents shall obey and submit to their parents in 
the exercise of their right, duty, and responsibility to teach, train, control, and discipline 
them and to provide for their education. 
 
SEC. 6. Freedom of religion. - The freedom of religion and the free exercise and 
enjoyment of religious profession, beliefs, and worship, of parents in connection with the 
rearing of their children shall be recognized, respected, upheld, and shall not be abridged. 
 
SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 8. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,