The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has collaborated with the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) to help single mothers get sustainment from fathers who do not provide child support.
DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo and PAO chief Persida Acosta led the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Monday, Sept. 19 to help single mothers by filing cases against estranged fathers who do not want to give support to their children
Fathers who fail to provide child support may be prosecuted in violation of Articles 194 and 195 of the Family Code of the Philippines and Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.
Article 195 of the Family Code states that parents are legally required to support their children, while Article 194 provides that “support comprises everything indispensable for sustenance, dwelling, clothing, medical attendance, education and transportation, in keeping with the financial capacity of the family.”
“Nasa batas po kasi natin, ‘matik sa batas na kailangang suportahan ang bata. Maaring pinansiyal, o pag-aralin mo. Ang sinasabi ko, kung may trabaho at usually malalaman natin yan sa misis kung may trabaho (The law mandates that child support be automatically given, it may be financial or the fathers send the child to school. What I want to say is that if the father has work or source of livelihood, and we usually get that information from the mothers, then, he should provide support),” Tulfo earlier said.
Tulfo and Acosta encouraged single mothers to approach the DSWD to help them obtain sustainment from the fathers of their children.
“Pwede po kayong lumapit sa amin sa DSWD, kung may mga tatay na ayaw magsustento sa mga anak nila, provided na yung tatay ay may trabaho o may kinikita. Susulatan po namin, magdedemand kami na sustentuhan niya yung anak niya. Otherwise, ipapasa po namin ito sa korte, bahala na po ang Public Attorney’s Office. Tutulungan din po natin na ilapit sa IBP para magsampa ng kaso (You may reach out to us at the DSWD if there are fathers who refuse to give child support even if they have sources of income. DSWD will write to demand that they provide child support. Otherwise, we will submit it to the court and let the PAO handle it. The IBP can also help us file a case),” Tulfo added.