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Guidelines On Filing For Child Support

Handling family cases is the hardest let alone settling conflicts between the opposing parties, especially on the issues of child support. Estranged spouses are not the only ones involved in the battle for support and custody but siblings and relatives as well. 

When it comes to child support, Articles 195 and 196 of the Family Code enumerate the people who are under obligation to support each other:

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 (291a)

Art. 196. Brothers and sisters not legitimately related, whether of the full or half-blood, are likewise bound to support each other to the full extent set forth in Article 194, except only when the need for support of the brother or sister, being of age, is due to a cause imputable to the claimant's fault or negligence. 

Guidelines on filing for child support:

1. If women who are going to file and ask for support does not have the ability to pay for court fees, seeking help from the Public Attorney's Office is going to be your best bet. They can also go to Department of Justice and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. 

2. A Protection Order is issued to protect the woman and her children from violence and economic abuse. In this case, custody will be given automatically to the woman with an entitlement of support.

3. The cases shall be filed in the Regional Trial Courts. They will also serve as Family Courts for hearing cases. 

4. The support is applicable to both legitimate and illegitimate children. It includes clothing, education, transportation and food. The support will be in accordance with the capacity and resources of the father. 

5. The woman parent will be the one to file the support of the child. If the child is below 7 years old, the custody will be given automatically to the mother. 

6. Regardless of the marriage status, the father's support should be considered as compulsory. Support will be in monetary form if the children are in the mother's custody and children will be under the father's custody for survival. 

It is also important to note that support and child custody will depend on a case by case basis. For minor children, they are definitely entitled to parental support. 

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