The House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee is currently evaluating the budget required to set up a new office within the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to manage the execution of House Bill 8987. This proposed legislation, known as the Act Ensuring Child Support and Penalizing Parental Refusal or Neglect Thereof, has already received approval from the Committee on Welfare of Children. The bill suggests a potential prison sentence of up to six years for fathers who fail to provide for their children.
During discussions, it was determined that the financial obligations of fathers would be based on the specific needs of their children. The DSWD, working alongside the National Economic and Development Authority, will be responsible for setting the child support amounts.
House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Erwin Tulfo, a co-author of the bill, emphasized the urgency of the legislation. He stated, “We desperately need this law. Fathers who refuse to support their children, especially those who have abandoned their families, must face consequences.” Tulfo also expressed gratitude towards his colleagues in Congress for advancing the bill but urged for quicker action to ensure accountability for fathers who neglect their children.
The bill aims to relieve the burden on approximately 15 million single mothers who currently struggle to secure financial support from their former partners or the fathers of their children.