EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 2061
February
DATE
TIME
E4LL&
NDEX
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
DEFINING THE CRIME OF DEPRIVATION OF SUPPORT TO PARENTS AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 4, Article XV of the 1987 Constitution provides that the family has the 
duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just 
programs of social security. Among the persons mentioned in Article 195 of the Family 
Code who are obliged to give support to each other are parents and their children. 
This means that the obligation to support cuts both ways - parents must support their 
children, especially during the years of their minority and dependency; on the other 
hand, children who are already capable must take care of their elderly, disease or 
disability-stricken parents who are in need.
Unfortunately, abuse against an elderly, disabled, or otherwise incapacitated 
parent, which includes physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial abuse, 
abandonment, neglect, and serious loss of dignity and respect, has become an 
"invisible issue" in the Philippines, according to the Commission on Human Rights. The 
sad stories of abused or abandoned parents, who in their productive years had toiled 
with blood, sweat, and tears for the upbringing and education of their children, are 
still rampant nowadays. Unreciprocated care and sacrifice - this is the cruel irony of 
their situation. This cannot go along without relief and recourse for these unfortunate 
parents.
If parents may be penalized for child abuse under our laws for the unreasonable 
deprivation of basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter, and failure to provide


immediate medicai treatment1, the same ievel of protection must be afforded to 
parents who are rendered incapacitated due to oid age, disease, or disabiiity, yet their 
aduit and capabie chiidren faii to or negiect to provide support to them.
This biii reinforces the duty of chiidren to take care of their eideriy, sickly, or 
otherwise, incapacitated parents, by providing criminal action for the enforcement of 
their rights for maintenance and support. Criminalizing the act of deprivation of 
support of incapacitated parents underscores its equal importance with that of 
economic abuse under Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and 
their Children Act and child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special 
Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. This move 
to criminalization of acts of non-support has been the trend for several jurisdictions 
such as in eight U.S. States which impose a criminal penalty upon a person who falls 
to support an indigent parent (Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode 
Island, Vermont, and Virginia)2, four U.S. states that provide for both civil and criminal 
causes of action (California, Connecticut, Indiana, and Montana)3, and in Bangladesh, 
with its Parents Maintenance Act of 2013 specifying that "noncompliance would lead 
to fines and, if the fines go unpaid, a period of incarceration"1.
In view of this, early passage of this bill is sought.
UEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator
1 Republic Act No. 7610, “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and 
Discrimination Act”
2 http://theclderlawioumal.eom/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ross.pdf
3 Id.
4 https://www.thedailvstar.net/if-the-children-not-provide-maintenancc- 
9756#:~:tcxt=Rccentlv%20the%20Govemment%20has%20passcd.mav%20get%20remedv%
20bv%20complaint.


EIGHTEEISTTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 2061
IS Tr:- .February 22 2021 lit
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INDEX,,
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
DEFINING THE CRIME OF DEPRIVATION OF SUPPORT TO PARENTS AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be It enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
In Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short r/£te. -This Act shall be known as "Criminalizing Deprivation 
of Support to Parents Act"
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
be cognizant of the dire conditions of parents who are in need of assistance and 
support from their children, legitimate or illegitimate, who are capable of rendering 
such assistance and support. Hence, the State must take positive steps to care for 
their needs by penalizing any act of deprivation of support committed against the 
elderly members of the family.
Section 3. Maintenance of Support to Parents. ~ Children shall, within 
their means and capacity, maintain support for their father or mother who, by virtue 
of being over sixty (60) years of age or suffering from a disease or disability, are 
rendered incapable of supporting themselves.
Where an elderly parent appears to be in need, he/she may, by himself/herself


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or through a representative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, 
shali initiate the filing of a criminal action against his/her chiidren for deprivation of 
support.
For purposes of this section, "support" refers to everything indispensable for 
sustenance, dwelling, clothing, and medical attendance.
Section 4. Deprivation of Support to Parents. - Any person who, despite 
being capacitated shall willfully neglect to maintain support to his or her parent as 
defined under Section 3 of this Act, shall be liable for deprivation of support to parent 
and shall be punishable by Imprisonment of arresto manor ds the minimum and of 
arresto mayoras the maximum, or a fine of not less than two hundred thousand pesos 
(Php 200,000.00) but not more than five hundred thousand pesos (Php 500,000.00), 
at the discretion of the court.
Section 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, proclamations, rules’ and regulations, or any part thereof, which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.
Section 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the 
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, 
the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.
Section 7. Effectivity Clause.—This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,