Bill penalizing children who abandon parents pushed

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker is pushing for the immediate passage of a bill that will penalize children who abandon their parents no longer able to fend for themselves.

Cavite Rep. Roy Loyola said House Bill 5336, to be known as the Parents Welfare Act of 2014, requires children to provide their old and sick parents support for sustenance, clothing, residence, medical attendance and other amenities that would enable them to lead a normal life.

The bill imposes the penalty of imprisonment of one month to six months or a fine of not more than P100,000 if the respondent continues to fail to give support for three consecutive months without justifiable cause.

“Whoever, having the care of protection of a parent in need of support, leaves such parent in any place with the intention of wholly abandoning the latter, shall be punished with imprisonment of six years to 10 years and a fine of not less than P300,000,” the bill states.

In filing the bill, Loyola said the elderly abandoned in the streets have become a common sight because children fail to provide the necessary support for their old and sick parents.

“This happens despite our moral and natural obligation to support our parents who are in need of our help. In the same vain, our Family Code imposes on us the legal obligation to support our elderly,” he said.

Loyola said while the government is doing its best to provide support in the form of food and shelter as well as enacting legislation like the Senior Citizens Act, taking care of the elderly is a shared responsibility of the government and the children of these elderly.