Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo on Tuesday said he and four other lawmakers have filed a bill punishing fathers for “willful failure” to provide paternal child support.
Tulfo and fellow lawmakers — ACT-CIS Party-list Reps. Jocelyn Tulfo and Edvic Yap, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Tulfo, filed House Bill (HB) No. 8987 or An Act Punishing the Willful Failure to Pay Paternal Child Support on Aug. 30.
The authors said criminalization of a deadbeat father is already duly provided in Republic Act (RA) 9262 or the “Anti-Violation Against Women and Children (Anti-VAWC) Act”, particularly referred to as economic abuse, which includes the withdrawal of child support.
“However, the comprehensive implementation and enforcement of paternal child support, including all other acts to establish the said legal obligation, is still a legislative priority,” stated on the explanatory note of the bill.
“It is in this regard that this proposed measure seeks to establish the amount of paternal child support and streamline the process in establishing paternity which is prerequisite for a child support order,” it added.
“Ang gusto natin dito ay protektahan ang kinabukasan ng mga bata. Dapat panagutan ng mga magulang lalo na ng mga tatay ang kapakanan ng kanilang mga anak (What we intend here is to protect the future of the children. Parents, especially the fathers should be responsible to the well-being of their children),” Erwin Tulfo said in a statement.
The bill proposes a penalty of six to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of PHP100,000 to PHP300,000 for fathers who willfully fail to pay child support.
“Dapat managot ang mga tatay na magiging pabaya at hindi magbibigay ng suporta sa kanilang mga anak. Ang kanilang anak ay kanilang tungkulin kaya dapat na masiguro na maayos ang pagpapalaki sa mga bata para sa kanilang kinabukasan (Irresponsible fathers must be held liable for failure to support their children. Their children are their responsibility and that they must ensure raising them for their future),” Tulfo said.
The measure proposed that paternal child support shall be at least 10 percent of the father’s salary, but should not be lower than PHP6,000 a month or PHP200 a day.
Tulfo also noted that the proposed bill will still be subjected to committee deliberations and public consultation with relevant stakeholders to make sure that the rights and interests of all parties concerned will be upheld. (PNA)
Photo credit: House of Representatives Official Website