Ping Lacson Files ‘Parents Welfare Act’ Bill to Strengthen Filial Responsibility

To strengthen Filipinos’ family ties and sense of filial responsibility, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a proposed “Parents Welfare Act of 2025,” ensuring that elderly parents are not abandoned by their children in their time of need.

Lacson’s Senate Bill 396, which he had also filed in previous Congresses, seeks to penalize those who fail to provide the necessary support to their aging, sick and incapacitated parents.

“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 this close family ties, there are cases of elderly, sick, and incapacitated parents who were 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,” he said.

“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,” he added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Naghain ng ‘Parents Welfare Act’ Bill para Pagtibayin ang Pamilya

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Lacson noted that while our Family Code imposes legal obligations to support our elderly, many elderly who no longer have any means of supporting themselves are being neglected and abandoned by their children.

He noted that in the United States, 30 states have filial responsibility laws, with approaches ranging from civil court action to criminal penalties.

Under Lacson’s bill, a parent who is 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 such 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.

Before hearing the petition, the court shall refer the parties to a conciliation officer for mediation, to preserve the family unity and peace.

Also, the bill provides for a support order to compel the children to provide the necessary support to their parent/s. It shall be immediately executory and no temporary restraining order or injunction shall be issued by any court, except the Supreme Court, to stay it.

If the children so ordered fail to comply with the support order without sufficient cause or reason, the court may issue a warrant for levying the amount due for every breach of order. If the respondent fails to give support for three consecutive months without justifiable cause, the respondent shall face imprisonment of one to six months or a fine of P100,000.

Whoever has the care or protection of a parent in need of support and abandons such parent will face six to 10 years in jail and a fine of P300,000.

Meanwhile, Lacson’s bill seeks to establish an “Old Age Home” for the elderly, sick or otherwise incapacitated parents in every province and highly urbanized city. Each home shall accommodate at least 50 parents.

“While 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 not only the function of government, but rather it is a shared responsibility of government and the children of said 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,” Lacson stressed.

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Ping Lacson, Naghain ng ‘Parents Welfare Act’ Bill para Pagtibayin ang Pamilya

Para pagtibayin ang pamilyang Pilipino, naghain si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ng panukalang “Parents Welfare Act of 2025” na titiyak na hindi iiwanan ng mga anak ang kanilang may edad na magulang sa kanilang oras ng pangangailangan.

Layunin ng Senate Bill 396 – na ihinain na rin ni Lacson sa nakaraang mga Kongreso – na parusahan ang mga hindi magbibigay ng suporta na kailangan ng kanilang mga magulang.

“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 this close family ties, there are cases of elderly, sick, and incapacitated parents who were 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,” ani Lacson.

“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,” dagdag niya.

Ipinunto ni Lacson na bagama’t klaro sa ating Family Code ang obligasyon para suportahan ang magulang, maraming may edad na magulang na hindi na kayang suportahan ang sarili ang iniiwanan ng kanilang mga anak.

Dagdag niya, sa Estados Unidos, may 30 estado na may batas sa filial responsibility.

Sa panukala ni Lacson, ang magulang na nangangailangan ng suporta ay maaaring maghain ng petition for support sa korte para maglabas ng support order sa mga anak na hindi nagbigay ng suporta.

Maaari silang tulungan ng Public Attorney’s Office, at hindi na nila kailangang magbayad ng court fee.

Bago dinggin ang petisyon, dadaan ang kaso sa conciliation officer..

Sa panukala, maglalabas ang korte ng support order na nag-uutos sa anak na suportahan ang magulang. Korte Suprema lamang ang maaaring maglabas ng utos para pigilan ang pagpapatupad nito.

Ang mga anak na hindi makasunod sa support order ay maaaring patawan ng levy. Kung hindi sila sumunod sa utos ng tatlong sunud-sunod na buwan na walang dahilan, maaari silang ikulong ng isa hanggang anim na buwan, at multahan ng P100,000.

Ang inatasang mag-alaga sa magulang at iiwanan sila ay makukulong ng anim hanggang 10 taon, at mumultahan ng P300,000.

Sa ilalim din ng panukala ni Lacson, magtatayo ng “Old Age Home” para sa may edad at maysakit ang bawa’t probinsya at highly urbanized city. Bawa’t isa sa mga Old Age Home ay maaaring mag-accommodate ng hindi bababa sa 50 na magulang.

“While 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 not only the function of government, but rather it is a shared responsibility of government and the children of said 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,” giit ni Lacson.

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