BALASUBAS parents—siring or bearing a child is not something one can just leave behind. This is what a proposed legislation—first filed in the 19th and re-filed in the 20th Congress—wants prospective or current parents to remember.
Filed in the current Congress by Representative Niko Raul S. Daza (1st District, Northern Samar), the Child Support Responsibility Act (HB 21), was authored and first filed by his father, former representative and Senior Deputy Minority Leader, Paul R. Daza.
“It’s the first bill that I filed; I owe it not just to all affected children but also to my father who has always been a staunch advocate of children’s rights. Balasubas talagang matatawag ang mga magulang na nagpapabaya sa kanilang mga anak. These children did not choose to be born; it’s wrong to make them suffer when their parents decide to part ways,” said Niko Daza.
HB 21 aims to protect the interests of children in case of failed marriages or separation of couples. If enacted, withholding or stopping child support becomes a punishable offense. Specifically, once a child support order is issued, as mandated by the proposed law, child support payments shall be paid to the custodian-parent.
“It’s about time we enact a law like this. Other countries already implement such a law. Absentee or deadbeat parents (who are, unfortunately, mostly men, based on statistics) must be reminded that bringing a child in this world is a sacred and legal responsibility. It’s not something that can simply be tossed aside when a parent or both parents decide to end their relationship,” the neophyte legislator added.
In the re-filing of said bill, Rep Niko Daza hopes that this will finally be enacted in this Congress. “In the 19th Congress, it went through 2nd reading already. I will really exert all efforts so that this will finally become a law in the 20th Congress,” the solon shared.
A study commissioned by the World Health Organization (2018) estimated that there are about 14 million household heads without a spouse. Around 95% of these individuals are women.
While the Philippines has laws to protect and help single parents under the Solo Parent Welfare Act (RA 8972), non-custodial balasubas parents who do not provide child support need to be compelled more strictly on their responsibilities.
Niko Daza explained that while RA 8972 provides special privileges like discounts, leave credits, and flexible work schedule for solo parents, “what is needed is actual money that can help unburden the custodian-parent.”
This proposed law will have more teeth than any other existing laws. Among its proposed mandates are:
1. A minimum across-the-board amount of child support that all non-custodial parents must pay regardless of their income or lack thereof;
2. Removal of gender as a factor in evaluating cases. Even mothers can be compelled to give child support if they abandoned their children in the custody of the father or any other substitute parent; and
3. Integrating child support with issuance of government permits, licensing, and other documentary issuances of the government.
“Ever since this bill was filed in the previous Congress, marami na po kaming natanggap na tawag at katanungan mula sa mga custodian-parents, especially, mothers. We all know the sad stories…pagkatapos ma-anakan, parang ang daling takasan ang responsibilidad. It’s time to change these culture and behaviors,” Daza stressed.
In his first term, Rep Niko Daza will continue the advocacy and legislative efforts for health and social welfare of his father, Paul.
He calls on the administration to consider this as a priority bill. “It will also help the government’s agenda on responsible parenthood, teenage pregnancy, and similar issues. This is another deterrent for unplanned pregnancies,” Daza ended.
