Guide to Abbreviation

Abbreviation Meaning
n New article, section, chapter
or title, not found in the
Book.
a Amended. Signifies that
article has been amended.

Support
Art. 194. Support comprises everything indispensable for sustenance,
dwelling, clothing, medical attendance, education and transportation, in keeping
with the financial capacity of the family.
The education of the person entitled to be supported referred to in the
preceding shall include his schooling or training for some profession, trade or
vocation, even beyond the age of majority. Transportation shall include expenses
in going to and from school, or to and from place of work. (290a)
Notes:
As a general rule, support includes whatever is necessary to keep a person alive.
However the clause “in keeping with the financial capacity of the family” determines the
amount of support to be given. The said clause therefore eliminates the distinction
between natural support and civil support.
Natural support has been understood as the basic necessities, while civil support
refers to anything beyond basic necessities.
In accordance with existing jurisprudence, even an unborn child is entitled to
support. This is so, because a conceived child, although as yet unborn, is given by law
a provisional personality of its own for purposes favorable to it and correspondingly, the
right to support from its progenitors, even if the said child is only “en ventre de sa mere;”
just as a conceived child, even if yet unborn, may receive donations under Article 742,
New Civil Code. (Quimiguing vs. Icao, 34 SCRA 132)
Under the law, legitimate ascendants and descendants are required to support
each other. (Art. 195, Family Code). In this regard, the basis of the right to support is the
legitimacy of relationship so that in case the status of a child is denied and placed in
issue, no effect can be given to the child’s claim for support until an authorative
declaration has been made as to the existence of the cause. (Francisco vs. Zandueta,
61 Phil. 752)
 Art. 195. Subject to the provisions of the succeeding articles, the following
are obliged to support each other to the whole extent set forth in the preceding
article:
(1) The spouses;
(2) Legitimate ascendants and descendants;
(3) Parents and their legitimate children and the illegitimate children of the
latter;
(4) Parents and their illegitimate children and the legitimate and illegitimate
children of the latter; and
(5) Legitimate brothers and sisters, whether of full or half-blood. (291a)

Art. 196. Brothers and sisters not legitimately related, whether of the full or half-
blood, are likewise bound to support each other to the full extent set forth in
Article 194, except only when the need for support of the brother or sister, being
of age, is due to a cause imputable to the claimant's fault or negligence. (291a)

Notes:
It has been recognized that the marriage relation imposes upon the spouses the
obligation to support. Thus, if the wife if forced to leave the conjugal dwelling by causes
justifying her establishment of a separate domicile, she is entitled to separate
maintenance from the husband. In regard, the right of a wife to support depends upon
her status as such (Yangco vs. Rhoda, 1 Phil. 404), so that once the marriage has been
annulled, the right ceases, even during the pendency of the action filed by her for the
liquidation of their conjugal property. (Mendoza vs. Parungao, 49 Phil. 271). But there is
a defense that if there was adultery of the woman, support would not be given. (Quintana
vs. Lerma, 24 Phil. 285)

Art. 197. In case of legitimate ascendants; descendants, whether legitimate or

illegitimate; and brothers and sisters, whether legitimately or illegitimately
related, only the separate property of the person obliged to give support shall be
answerable provided that in case the obligor has no separate property, the
absolute community or the conjugal partnership, if financially capable, shall
advance the support, which shall be deducted from the share of the spouse
obliged upon the liquidation of the absolute community or of the conjugal
partnership. (n)

Notes:

If a person who is married has ascendants, or descendants whether legitimate or

illegitimate, or brothers and sisters, and he is obliged to support them, such support
shall come from the separate properties of such spouse. If he has no separate
properties, the absolute community or conjugal partnership shall advance the support.
Upon the liquidation of the absolute community of property or the conjugal partnership,
such advances shall be deducted from the share of such spouse.

Art. 198. During the proceedings for legal separation or for annulment of
marriage, and for declaration of nullity of marriage, the spouses and their
children shall be supported from the properties of the absolute community or the
conjugal partnership. After the final judgment granting the petition, the obligation
of mutual support between the spouses ceases. However, in case of legal
separation, the court may order that the guilty spouse shall give support to the
innocent one, specifying the terms of such order. (292a)

Notes:

The law is in conformity with Article 49 of the Family Code mandating that during
the pendency of an action for annulment or declaration of nullity of the marriage, the
court shall provide for the support of the spouses and the children. The same is true in
Article 62 in cases of legal separation. The reason for the law is that, of utmost
consideration is the welfare, moral or maternal, of the children. The support shall come
from the conjugal properties or the absolute community of properties. The support given
is known as support pende lite, but the moment there is declaration of nullity of
marriage, the obligation to support and the right to be supported cease to exist. The
reason is that, after annulment or declaration of nullity of marriage, the relationship
ceases to exist. But in legal separation, the court may still order the guilty spouse to to
support the other, but it is discretionary on the part of the court and as such, it cannot be
demanded as a matter of right.

Art. 199. Whenever two or more persons are obliged to give support, the liability
shall devolve upon the following persons in the order herein provided:

(1) The spouse;

(2) The descendants in the nearest degree;

(3) The ascendants in the nearest degree; and

(4) The brothers and sisters. (294a)

Notes:

This is an enumeration of the order of liability in matters of support. The action of

support may be brought against any of those obliged to give it, but the plaintiff must
show that those who are called upon to furnish the support before the defendant are
without means to give such support. If the defendant can prove that another person who
is ahead of him in the order of liability can give he support, the obligation must fall upon
the latter. Thus, a rich brother will not be obliged to give support if he proves that the
father has enough means to give support.
Art. 200. When the obligation to give support falls upon two or more persons, the
payment of the same shall be divided between them in proportion to the
resources of each.

However, in case of urgent need and by special circumstances, the judge may
order only one of them to furnish the support provisionally, without prejudice to
his right to claim from the other obligors the share due from them.

When two or more recipients at the same time claim support from one and the
same person legally obliged to give it, should the latter not have sufficient means
to satisfy all claims, the order established in the preceding article shall be
followed, unless the concurrent obligees should be the spouse and a child
subject to parental authority, in which case the child shall be preferred. (295a)

Notes:

This article makes the obligation of several obligors in the same grade a joint and
not a solidary one. The proportionate share of each will depend upon his means as
compared to the others. It may happen, however, that some obligors may be absent
and their domiciles unknown, or for some other reason they cannot immediately furnish
their shares. In such case, the law provides that any obligor may be compelled to give
the full amount of support, without prejudice to his right to recover the proportionate
shares of the others. Thus, although the general rule is that the recipient should claim
his support from all those obliged to give it, under special circumstances he may bring
his action against the defendant, it will oblige him to provisionally give the full support
deserving his rights against others. (1Manresa 677-678)

In matters of support, the law gives preference to children under patria potestas
over all other relatives including the spouse. (Dela Cruz v. Santillan, G.R No. 8491 Feb.
12, 1943). This is irrespective of whether they are legitimates, legitimated, or
illegitimate. Such an adopted child is entitled to the same right and preference because
he has the same rights as a legitimate child.

Art. 201. The amount of support, in the cases referred to in Articles 195 and 196,
shall be in proportion to the resources or means of the giver and to the
necessities of the recipient. (296a)

Art. 202. Support in the cases referred to in the preceding article shall be reduced
or increased proportionately, according to the reduction or increase of the
necessities of the recipient and the resources or means of the person obliged to
furnish the same. (297a)

Art. 203. The obligation to give support shall be demandable from the time the
person who has a right to receive the same needs it for maintenance, but it shall
not be paid except from the date of judicial or extra-judicial demand.
Support pendente lite may be claimed in accordance with the Rules of Court.

Payment shall be made within the first five days of each corresponding month or
when the recipient dies, his heirs shall not be obliged to return what he has
received in advance. (298a)

Art. 204. The person obliged to give support shall have the option to fulfill the
obligation either by paying the allowance fixed, or by receiving and maintaining in
the family dwelling the person who has a right to receive support. The latter
alternative cannot be availed of in case there is a moral or legal obstacle thereto.
(299a)

Art. 205. The right to receive support under this Title as well as any money or
property obtained as such support shall not be levied upon on attachment or
execution. (302a)

Notes:

The right to receive support is exempt from attachment of levy. The reason is
obvious in that it would defeat the purpose of the la in giving protection to the recipient
against misery. This is a situation which accepts certain exceptions like when support is
founded on contract or will, the excess of which is subject to attachment or levy.

Art. 206. When, without the knowledge of the person obliged to give support, it is
given by a stranger, the latter shall have a right to claim the same from the
former, unless it appears that he gave it without intention of being reimbursed.
(2164a)

Art. 207. When the person obliged to support another unjustly refuses or fails to
give support when urgently needed by the latter, any third person may furnish
support to the needy individual, with right of reimbursement from the person
obliged to give support. This Article shall particularly apply when the father or
mother of a child under the age of majority unjustly refuses to support or fails to
give support to the child when urgently needed. (2166a)

Notes:

The provisions of Articles 206 and 207 of the Family Code are similar to the
provisions of Article 1236 of the New Civil Code which states that, the creditor is not
bound to accept payment or performance by a third person who has no interest in the
fulfillment of the obligation, unless there is a stipulation to the contrary. Whoever pays
for another may demand from the debtor what he has paid except that if paid without
the knowledge or against the will of the debtor, he can recover only insofar as the
payment has been beneficial to the debtor. (1158a)
Art. 208. In case of contractual support or that given by will, the excess in amount
beyond that required for legal support shall be subject to levy on attachment or
execution.

Furthermore, contractual support shall be subject to adjustment whenever

modification is necessary due to changes of circumstances manifestly beyond
the contemplation of the parties. (n)

Notes:
The law contemplates of a contractual support or that support is given through a
will. While the law does not allow the attachment or levy on legal support, it, however,
allows attachment or levy of excess of a contractual support can be adjusted when
necessary due to changes in the circumstances manifestly beyond the contemplation of
the parties.