MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has come out with new guidelines establishing a uniform formula for determining child support, including assigning monetary value to the time parents devote to caring for and supervising their children.
Approved by the high court’s en banc on Nov. 4, the guidelines sought to address inconsistencies in how courts compute child support by providing judges with a uniform, objective and evidence-based approach.
Under the new rules, the amount of child support will be determined not only by considering the financial capacity of the parent or other person obliged to provide support and the child's basic needs, but also the time devoted to the child's care and supervision.
The time spent on caregiving will be assigned a quantified value to help ensure that financial responsibilities are distributed proportionately to the level of care provided by each party.
The guidelines were intended to complement the Family Code and existing Court rules governing actions for support and the recognition and enforcement of foreign decisions or judgments on support.
They will apply when there is no written and valid agreement on child support, or when changes in the circumstances of the parties or the child warrant an adjustment in the amount being provided.
The high tribunal stressed that the guidelines also identify persons legally obliged to provide support apart from the child's parents, in accordance with the Family Code.
They likewise recognize that several individuals may be entitled to receive support on behalf of a child, including situations in which multiple recipients are involved.
The guidelines were proposed by the high court’s Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns led by its co-chairmen - Associate Justices Amy Lazaro-Javier and Jhosep Lopez.
The measure seeks to preserve judges' discretion in determining the appropriate amount of support while promoting the best interests of the child, the high tribunal said.
It also forms part of its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, which seeks to improve judicial efficiency, innovation and access to justice.