This article explains how child support works under Philippine law—who is entitled, who must give support, how much, how to claim or enforce it, and when it can be modified or terminated. It is general information, not a substitute for advice from counsel on your specific facts.

1) What “support” means

Under the Family Code, support (sustento) means everything indispensable for life, including:

food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care, and transportation;
education and related expenses (tuition, books, devices, school fees) and training for a trade or profession;
reasonable recreation consistent with the family’s social situation.

Support is not limited to cash; it may be given in kind (e.g., paying rent directly, maintaining the child in the family home) if appropriate.

2) Who is entitled—and who is obliged—to give support

A. Primary rule: parents and children owe each other support

All parents owe support to their children, whether the children are legitimate or illegitimate, and children owe support to their parents.
Filiation controls the duty. Filiation may be shown by a civil registry record (birth certificate), voluntary acknowledgment, or other competent proof.

B. Other family relationships

If those primarily liable cannot provide, the Family Code recognizes mutual obligations among:

ascendants and descendants in the direct line (grandparents ↔ grandchildren), and
brothers and sisters, whether of full or half blood.

C. Order of liability (when several people could be liable)

As a guide, liability is generally in this order:

parents or spouse,
descendants in the nearer degree,
ascendants in the nearer degree,
brothers and sisters. Those in the same degree share proportionally according to their resources.

3) Amount and standard of support

There is no fixed statutory percentage (e.g., “x% of income”). Courts determine the amount case-by-case, guided by two principles:

Needs of the child — age, schooling, health, disabilities, reasonable living standard; and
Resources of the person obliged — income, earning capacity, other legal dependents, and necessary expenses.

Because both factors change over time, support is inherently adjustable. It may be increased or decreased upon proof of supervening change (loss of job, promotion, medical needs, tuition changes, etc.).

4) When support becomes demandable; retroactivity

Support is owed from the time the need arises, but it becomes payable only from the date of demand—judicial (filing in court) or extrajudicial (a written demand, demand via barangay conciliation where applicable, or counsel’s letter).
Arrears that accrue after demand are collectible by execution like other money judgments.

Practical tip: serve a dated written demand and keep proof of service; if suit becomes necessary, you can establish the start date for retroactivity.

5) Forms of support: cash vs. in-kind

Courts may order:

periodic cash payments (monthly is typical);
direct payments to schools, landlords, or providers (tuition, rent, insurance, health care);
shared custody expenses (transportation, caregivers, special needs).

Parents may agree to combine forms (e.g., one pays tuition and health insurance; the other pays monthly allowance). Courts respect reasonable agreements that protect the child’s best interests.

6) Special contexts

A. Children born outside marriage (illegitimate children)

The father’s duty to support exists once filiation is established.
Proof can include: the father’s acknowledgment on the birth certificate, notarized admissions, DNA results, authentic communications, photos and consistent acts of recognition, or judicial findings.

B. Children with disabilities or special needs

Support covers therapies, assistive devices, and accommodations reasonably required by the child’s condition.

C. Adult children

Support generally ends at 18, but may continue if the child cannot support themselves for a valid reason (e.g., still in good-faith education/training, or disability/illness).

D. Violence against women and their children (VAWC)

Economic abuse includes depriving a woman or her child of financial support legally due. Courts may issue Protection Orders that include temporary support and other economic relief, separate from or in addition to a support case.

7) How to claim support

A. Demand and negotiation

Send a detailed written demand identifying the child, legal basis (parentage), items sought (tuition, allowance, medical), and computation with attachments.
Explore amicable settlement memorialized in a written undertaking (preferably notarized). Include payment schedules, mode of delivery, and escalation/adjustment triggers.

B. Barangay conciliation

Some family disputes undergo Katarungang Pambarangay conciliation before court filing, but not all support cases are covered (e.g., when parties live in different cities or when the case involves VAWC). Check applicability to avoid dismissal for non-compliance.

C. Court action (Family Court)

File a Petition for Support (or include support as an incident in custody/annulment/legal separation).
Attach proof of filiation and itemized needs (budgets, tuition assessments, receipts, medical records).
Ask for support pendente lite—a temporary order for immediate needs while the case is pending. Courts usually act on this early upon affidavits and receipts.

D. Evidence that typically matters

Child’s birth certificate; documents of acknowledgment.
Proof of needs: school statements, receipts, medical certificates, therapy plans, prescriptions, transport costs.
Proof of resources: payslips, ITRs/financial statements, social-media/business evidence of lifestyle, bank or remittance records, property records.
Communications showing acknowledgment or past support.

8) Enforcement of support orders

If the obligor fails to pay under a demand, agreement, or court order:

Writ of execution / garnishment of salaries, commissions, rental income, bank deposits, or receivables. Courts commonly direct employers to deduct and remit monthly amounts.
Lien or levy on non-exempt property for arrears.
Indirect contempt for defying a court order (possible fines or imprisonment until compliance).
In appropriate cases, criminal prosecution under special laws (e.g., economic abuse under VAWC) in addition to civil enforcement.
Passport, travel, or licensing consequences may arise through court directives in particular cases to secure compliance (case-specific and subject to due process).

Note: Ordinary exemptions from execution do not shield an obligor from garnishment of wages for support, because the policy priority is the child’s welfare.

9) Modification, suspension, and termination

Support may be modified (up or down) any time there is a material change in:

the child’s needs (illness, change of school, college admission, therapies), or
the obligor’s resources (job loss, disability, or improved means).

Support may be suspended or reduced temporarily if the obligor shows real inability to pay despite good faith, but never to the point that the child’s essential needs are unmet if any resources remain or other relatives are able.

Support ends when:

the child becomes self-supporting or reaches 18 and no valid reason for continuation exists;
the child marries and becomes supported by a spouse (subject to circumstances);
either party dies (claims for accrued arrears survive against the estate).

10) Agreements on support

Parents may contract on the amount and manner of support if:

the child’s best interests are protected,
the agreement is clear and specific, and
it does not waive the child’s future right to adequate support.

Courts can approve and incorporate such agreements in judgments, making them immediately enforceable. A clause allowing periodic updates (e.g., when tuition changes) avoids repeat litigation.

11) Tax and financial treatment (high-level)

Support is not a donation; it arises from law. As a general rule, amounts paid as legal support are not treated as taxable income of the recipient child.
Obligors cannot claim child-support payments as income-tax deductions merely because they are support (deductibility follows ordinary tax rules; consult a tax professional for edge cases like health-insurance premiums paid on a child’s behalf).

12) Cross-border and interstate situations

If the obligor resides or works abroad:

You can still sue in the Philippines if jurisdictional requirements are met (domicile, effects felt here).
Enforcement may require garnishing local assets or remittances, proceeding against Philippine employers/agents, or using treaty/reciprocity channels where available. Coordination with counsel familiar with transnational enforcement is often necessary.

13) Common misconceptions—clarified

Myth: “Support automatically stops at 18.” Reality: It can continue if the child, in good faith, still needs help (e.g., college) or is unable to work due to disability.
Myth: “There’s a fixed legal percentage of salary.” Reality: No statutory table; courts tailor the amount to needs and resources.
Myth: “If I quit my job, I can avoid support.” Reality: Voluntary unemployment or underemployment does not excuse support; courts may impute earning capacity.
Myth: “Only cash counts.” Reality: In-kind payments (tuition, rent, insurance) are valid if they genuinely meet the child’s needs or are court-ordered.

14) Practical checklist (for the parent seeking support)

Document filiation (birth certificate, acknowledgments).
Itemize needs with current figures and attach proofs.
Compute a proposed monthly amount aligned with the obligor’s known means.
Serve a written demand (keep proof).
If no resolution: file in Family Court and request support pendente lite.
After judgment or agreement, use automatic payroll deduction/garnishment where possible.
Update the amount when needs or means change, with receipts and affidavits.

15) Practical checklist (for the paying parent)

Pay consistently and traceably (bank transfer with reference; keep receipts).
Prefer direct payment to schools/insurers for large items when appropriate.
Communicate changes in income promptly and propose a documented interim amount.
Seek modification in court if there’s a genuine, durable change in capacity—don’t just stop paying.
Keep a ledger of all payments and in-kind support with supporting documents.

16) Key procedural notes

Venue: generally where the child resides or where any party resides; Family Courts have jurisdiction.
Speed relief: temporary support orders can be issued early based on affidavits and receipts.
Confidentiality: cases involving minors are usually confidential; records and proceedings may be restricted to protect the child.
Attorney’s fees/costs: courts may award fees or costs in egregious cases (e.g., bad faith non-payment).

17) Bottom line

Philippine law treats child support as a continuing, adjustable legal duty anchored on the child’s best interests. The amount is needs- and means-based, enforceable through garnishment and court powers, and modifiable with changing circumstances. Clear documentation, timely demand, and, where possible, reasonable agreements—backed by court approval—are the fastest route to stable, enforceable support for the child.