Lacson revives bill to penalize children who abandon elderly parents
Senator Ping Lacson has proposed a measure designed to protect elderly parents from being neglected by their children during their time of need.
According to a Senate press release, the "Parents Welfare Act of 2025" seeks to reinforce Filipino family values and the "sense of filial responsibility," and to penalize individuals who neglect to give proper care and support to their aging, ill, or incapacitated parents.
"Nowadays, the [sight] of abandoned elderly in our streets [has] become typical," Lacson said. "This happens despite our moral and natural obligation to maintain our parents who are in need of support," the lawmaker explained in a statement.
"Abandonment of a parent in need of support shall likewise constitute a criminal act."
Under the bill, a parent requiring support may submit a petition to the court requesting the issuance of a support order against any child who has neglected or refused to provide the necessary assistance.
The Public Attorney's Office will represent the parent, and no court fees will be charged.
Before the hearing, the court will direct both parties to undergo mediation with a conciliation officer to maintain family harmony and unity.
The support order, which shall be immediately executory, will compel the children to provide support to their parent/s. It cannot be stopped by a temporary restraining order or injunction.
If a child fails to comply with the support order without a valid reason, the court may authorize the collection of the owed amount through a fine for each violation.
Additionally, if the child neglects to provide support for three consecutive months without just cause, they may face imprisonment of one to six months or a P100,000 fine.
Furthermore, any individual responsible for the care or protection of a parent who willfully abandoned them may be sentenced to six to ten years in prison and fined P300,000.
The proposed measure also aims to establish "old age homes" for the elderly, sick, or incapacitated parents in provinces and cities to house at least 50 people.
"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," Lacson said.
"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," he added.
Lacson also pushed for the same bill in 2016.
Former Cavite representative Roy Loyola also introduced a similar proposal, House Bill 5336, in 2014.
