Rowegie Abanto

The Malaya Lolas are given flowers by Students and volunteers as they mark the attack of the Japanese Imperial Army at the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga during World War II  on November 23, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Lacson refiles bill penalizing children who abandon elderly parents

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson has refiled his proposed &quot;Parents Welfare Act of 2025,&quot; which ensures that elderly parents are not abandoned by their children.</p><p>Aimed at strengthening Filipino family ties and a sense of filial responsibility, the bill seeks to penalize children who fail to provide support to their &quot;aging, sick, and incapacitated parents.&quot;</p><p>Lacson noted in a statement that even with Filipino families&#x27; close ties, &quot;there are cases of elderly, sick, and incapacitated parents who were abandoned by their own children.&quot;</p><p>He said &quot;[t]his happens despite our moral and natural obligation to maintain our parents who are in need of support.&quot;</p><p>Under the proposed bill, which the lawmaker <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/30/19/lacson-wants-punishment-for-children-who-abandon-old-parents">filed in previous Congresses</a>, abandonment of a parent in need of support constitutes a &quot;criminal act.&quot;</p><p>In the United States, 30 states have filial responsibility laws, Lacson noted, &quot;with approaches ranging from civil court action to criminal penalties.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/01/19/grandkids-should-take-care-of-lolo-lola-if-parents-incapacitated-lacson">Grandkids should take care of lolo, lola if parents incapacitated: Lacson</a></div><p>A parent may file a petition for support before the court and pray for the issuance of a support order against their children who fail or refuse to provide such support, according to the bill.</p><p>The legal representation of the parent would be provided by the Public Attorney&#x27;s Office, and no court fees will be assessed.</p><p>The bill also provides for a support order to compel the children to provide the necessary support to their parents, Lacson said.</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/05/13/21/senior-citizens-pension-sss-gsis">The Filipino elderly are left behind</a></div><p>Failing to comply with the support order without sufficient cause or reason may prompt the court to issue a warrant for levying the amount due for every breach of the order. </p><p>&quot;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,&quot; he said.</p><p>Additionally, whoever has the care or protection of a parent in need of support and abandons such a parent would face six to 10 years in jail and a fine of P300,000 under Lacson&#x27;s bill.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e2qwcbXxLBg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Under the bill, children who refuse or fail to provide support to their "aging, sick, and incapacitated parents" could face fines of up to P300,000 as well as possible jail time. </p>

Under the bill, children who refuse or fail to provide support to their "aging, sick, and incapacitated parents" could face fines of up to P300,000 as well as possible jail time.