8Lu8LlC AC1 nC 8369

An AC1 LS1A8LlSPlnC lAMlL? CCu81S C8An1lnC 1PLM LxCLuSlvL C8lClnAL !u8lSulC1lCn CvL8
CPlLu Anu lAMlL? CASLS AMLnulnC 8A1AS AM8AnSA 8lLAnC 129AS AMLnuLu C1PL8WlSL
knCWn AS AC1 Cl 1980 A8C8lA1lnC lunuS 1PL8LlC8 Anu lC8 C1PL8 u8CSLS


8e lL enacLed by Lhe SenaLe and Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of Lhe hlllpplnes ln Congress assembled

SecLlon 1 1lLle 1hls AcL shall be known as Lhe lamlly CourLs AcL of 1997

Sec 2 SLaLemenL of naLlonal ollcles 1he SLaLe shall proLecL Lhe rlghLs and promoLe Lhe welfare of
chlldren ln keeplng wlLh Lhe mandaLe of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and Lhe precepLs of Lhe unlLed naLlons
ConvenLlon on Lhe rlghLs of Lhe Chlld 1he SLaLe shall provlde a sysLem of ad[udlcaLlon for youLhful
offenders whlch Lakes lnLo accounL Lhelr pecullar clrcumsLances

1he SLaLe recognlzes Lhe sancLlLy of famlly llfe and shall proLecL and sLrengLhen Lhe famlly as a baslc
auLonomous soclal lnsLlLuLlon 1he courLs shall preserve Lhe solldarlLy of Lhe famlly provlde procedures
for Lhe reconclllaLlon of spouses and Lhe amlcable seLLlemenL of famlly conLroversy

Sec 3 LsLabllshmenL of lamlly CourLs 1here shall be esLabllshed a lamlly CourL ln every provlnce and
clLy ln Lhe counLry ln case where Lhe clLy ls Lhe caplLal of Lhe provlnce Lhe lamlly CourL shall be
esLabllshed ln Lhe munlclpallLy whlch has Lhe hlghesL populaLlon

Sec 4 CuallflcaLlon and 1ralnlng of lamlly CourL !udges Sec 13 of 8aLas ambansa 8lg 129 as
amended ls hereby furLher amended Lo read as follows

Sec 13 (a) CuallflcaLlon no person shall be appolnLed 8eglonal 1rlal !udge or resldlng !udge of Lhe
lamlly CourL unless he ls a naLuralborn clLlzen of Lhe hlllpplnes aL leasL LhlrLyflve (33) years of age
and for aL leasL Len (10) years has been engaged ln Lhe pracLlce of law ln Lhe hlllpplnes or has held a
publlc offlce ln Lhe hlllpplnes requlrlng admlsslon Lo Lhe pracLlce of law as lndlspensable requlslLe

(b) 1ralnlng of lamlly CourL !udges 1he resldlng !udge as well as Lhe courL personnel of Lhe lamlly
CourLs shall undergo Lralnlng and musL have Lhe experlence and demonsLraLed ablllLy ln deallng wlLh
chlld and famlly cases

1he Supreme CourL shall provlde a conLlnulng educaLlon program on chlld and famlly laws procedure
and oLher relaLed dlsclpllnes Lo [udges and personnel of such courLs

Sec 3 !urlsdlcLlon offamlly CourLs 1he lamlly CourLs shall have excluslve orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon Lo hear
and declde Lhe followlng cases


a) Crlmlnal cases where one or more of Lhe accused ls below elghLeen (18) years of age buL noL less Lhan
nlne (9) years of age buL noL less Lhan nlne (9) years of age or where one or more of Lhe vlcLlms ls a
mlnor aL Lhe Llme of Lhe commlsslon of Lhe offense rovlded 1haL lf Lhe mlnor ls found gullLy Lhe courL
shall promulgaLe senLence and ascerLaln any clvll llablllLy whlch Lhe accused may have lncurred
1he senLence however shall be suspended wlLhouL need of appllcaLlon pursuanL Lo LesldenLlal uecree
no 603 oLherwlse known as Lhe Chlld and ?ouLh Welfare Code

b) eLlLlons for guardlanshlp cusLody of chlldren habeas corpus ln relaLlon Lo Lhe laLLer

c) eLlLlons for adopLlon of chlldren and Lhe revocaLlon Lhereof

d) ComplalnLs for annulmenL of marrlage declaraLlon of nulllLy of marrlage and Lhose relaLlng Lo marlLal
sLaLus and properLy relaLlons of husband and wlfe or Lhose llvlng LogeLher under dlfferenL sLaLus and
agreemenLs and peLlLlons for dlssoluLlon of con[ugal parLnershlp of galns

e) eLlLlons for supporL and/or acknowledgmenL

f) Summary [udlclal proceedlngs broughL under Lhe provlslons of LxecuLlve Crder no 209 oLherwlse
known as Lhe lamlly Code of Lhe hlllpplnes

g) eLlLlons for declaraLlon of sLaLus of chlldren as abandoned dependenL o neglecLed chlldren
peLlLlons for volunLary or lnvolunLary commlLmenL of chlldren Lhe suspenslon LermlnaLlon or
resLoraLlon of parenLal auLhorlLy and oLher cases cognlzable under resldenLlal uecree no 603
LxecuLlve Crder no 36 (Serles of 1986) and oLher relaLed laws

h) eLlLlons for Lhe consLlLuLlon of Lhe famlly home

l) Cases agalnsL mlnors cognlzable under Lhe uangerous urugs AcL as amended

[) vlolaLlons of 8epubllc AcL no 7610 oLherwlse known as Lhe Speclal roLecLlon of Chlldren AgalnsL
Chlld Abuse LxplolLaLlon and ulscrlmlnaLlon AcL as amended by 8epubllc AcL no 7638 and

k) Cases of domesLlc vlolence agalnsL

1) Women whlch are acLs of gender based vlolence LhaL resulLs or are llkely Lo resulL ln physlcal sexual
or psychologlcal harm or sufferlng Lo women and oLher forms of physlcal abuse such as baLLerlng or
LhreaLs and coerclon whlch vlolaLe a womans personhood lnLegrlLy and freedom movemenL and

2) Chlldren whlch lnclude Lhe commlsslon of all forms of abuse neglecL cruelLy explolLaLlon vlolence
and dlscrlmlnaLlon and all oLher condlLlons pre[udlclal Lo Lhelr developmenL
lf an acL consLlLuLes a crlmlnal offense Lhe accused or baLLerer shall be sub[ecL Lo crlmlnal proceedlngs
and Lhe correspondlng penalLles

lf any quesLlon lnvolvlng any of Lhe above maLLers should arlse as an lncldenL ln any case pendlng ln Lhe
regular courLs sald lncldenL shall be deLermlned ln LhaL courL

Sec 6 use of lncome All lamlly CourLs shall be allowed Lhe use of Len per cenL (10) of Lhelr lncome
derlved from flllng and oLher courL fees under 8ule 141 of Lhe 8ules of CourL for research and oLher
operaLlng expenses lncludlng caplLal ouLlay rovlded 1haL Lhls beneflL shall llkewlse be en[oyed by all
courLs of [usLlce

1he Supreme CourL shall promulgaLe Lhe necessary guldellnes Lo effecLlvely lmplemenL Lhe provlslons of
Lhls Sec

Sec 7 Speclal rovlslonal 8emedles ln cases of vlolence among lmmedlaLe famlly members llvlng ln
Lhe same domlclle or household Lhe lamlly CourL may lssue a resLralnlng order agalnsL Lhe accused of
defendanL upon verlfled appllcaLlon by Lhe complalnanL or Lhe vlcLlm for rellef from abuse

1he courL may order Lhe Lemporary cusLody of chlldren ln all clvll acLlons for Lhelr cusLody 1he courL
may also order supporL pendenLe llLe lncludlng deducLlon from Lhe salary and use of con[ugal home and
oLher properLles ln all clvll acLlons for supporL

Sec 8 Supervlslon of ?ouLh ueLenLlon Pomes 1he [udge of Lhe lamlly CourL shall have dlrecL conLrol
and supervlslon of Lhe youLh deLenLlon home whlch Lhe local governmenL unlL shall esLabllsh Lo
separaLe Lhe youLh offenders from adulL crlmlnals rovlded however 1haL alLernaLlves Lo deLenLlon
and lnsLlLuLlonal care shall be made avallable Lo Lhe accused lncludlng counsellng recognlzance ball
communlLy conLlnuum or dlverslons from Lhe [usLlce sysLem rovlded furLher 1haL Lhe human rlghLs
of Lhe accused are fully respecLed ln a manner approprlaLe Lo Lhelr wellbelng

Sec 9 Soclal Servlces and Counsellng ulvlslon under Lhe guldance ofLhe ueparLmenL of Soclal Welfare
and uevelopmenL (uSWu) a Soclal Servlces and Counsellng ulvlslon (SSCu) shall be esLabllshed ln each
[udlclal reglon as Lhe Supreme CourL shall deem necessary based on Lhe number of [uvenlle and famlly
cases exlsLlng ln such [urlsdlcLlon lL shall provlde approprlaLe soclal servlces Lo all [uvenlle and famlly
cases flled wlLh Lhe courL and recommend Lhe proper soclal acLlon lL shall also develop programs
formulaLe unlform pollcles and procedures and provlde Lechnlcal supervlslon and monlLorlng of all SSCu
ln coordlnaLlon wlLh Lhe [udge

Sec 10 Soclal Servlces and Counsellng ulvlslon SLaff 1he SSCu shall have a sLaff composed of quallfled
soclal workers and oLher personnel wlLh academlc preparaLlon ln behavloral sclences Lo carry ouL Lhe
duLlesof conducLlng lnLake assessmenL soclal case sLudles casework and counsellng and oLhersoclal
servlces LhaL may be needed ln connecLlon wlLh cases flled wlLh Lhe courL rovlded however 1haL ln
adopLlon cases and ln peLlLlons for declaraLlon of abandonmenL Lhe case sLudles may be prepared by
soclal workers of duly llcensed chlld carlng or chlld placemenL agencles or Lhe uSWu When warranLed
Lhe dlvlslon shall recommend LhaL Lhe courL avall lLself of consulLaLlve servlces of psychlaLrlsLs
psychologlsLs and oLher quallfled speclallsLs presenLly employed ln oLher deparLmenLs of Lhe
governmenL ln connecLlon wlLh lLs cases

1he poslLlon of Soclal Work Advlser shall be creaLed under Lhe Cfflce of Lhe CourL AdmlnlsLraLor who
shall monlLor and supervlse Lhe SSCu ofLhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL

Sec 11 AlLernaLlve Soclal Servlces ln accordance wlLh Sec 17 of Lhls AcL ln areas where no lamlly
CourL has been esLabllshed or no 8eglonal 1rlal CourL was deslgnaLed by Lhe Supreme CourL due Lo Lhe
llmlLed number of cases Lhe uSWu shall deslgnaLe and asslgn quallfled Lralned and uSWu accredlLed
soclal workers of Lhe local governmenL unlLs Lo handle [uvenlle and famlly cases flled ln Lhe deslgnaLed
8eglonal 1rlal CourL of Lhe place

Sec 12 rlvacy and ConfldenLlallLy of roceedlngs All hearlngs and conclllaLlon of Lhe chlld and famlly
cases shall be LreaLed ln a manner conslsLenL wlLh Lhe promoLlon of Lhe chllds and Lhe famllys dlgnlLy
and worLh and shall respecL Lhelr prlvacy aL all sLages of Lhe proceedlngs 8ecords of Lhe cases shall be
dealL wlLh uLmosL confldenLlallLy and Lhe ldenLlLy of parLles shall noL be dlvulged unless necessary and
wlLh auLhorlLy of Lhe [udge

Sec 13 Speclal 8ules of rocedure 1he Supreme CourL shall promulgaLe speclal rules of procedure for
Lhe Lransfer of cases Lo Lhe new courLs durlng Lhe LranslLlon perlod and for Lhe dlsposlLlon of famlly
cases wlLh Lhe besL lnLeresLs of Lhe chlld and Lhe proLecLlon of Lhe famlly as prlmary conslderaLlon
Laklng lnLo accounL Lhe unlLed naLlons ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs of Lhe Chlld

Sec 14 Appeals ueclslons and orders of Lhe courL shall be appealed ln Lhe same manner and sub[ecL
Lo Lhe same condlLlons as appeals from Lhe ordlnary 8eglonal 1rlal CourLs

Sec 13 ApproprlaLlons 1he amounL necessary Lo carry ouL Lhe provlslons of Lhls AcL shall be lncluded
ln Lhe Ceneral ApproprlaLlons AcL of Lhe year followlng ln lLs enacLmenL lnLo law and LhereafLer

Sec 16 lmplemenLlng 8ules and 8egulaLlons 1he Supreme CourL ln coordlnaLlon wlLh Lhe uSWu
shall formulaLe Lhe necessary rules and regulaLlons for Lhe effecLlve lmplemenLaLlon of Lhe soclal
aspecLs of Lhls AcL

Sec 17 1ranslLory rovlslons endlng Lhe esLabllshmenL of such lamlly CourLs Lhe Supreme CourL
shall deslgnaLe from among Lhe branches ofLhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL aL leasL one lamlly CourL ln each of
Lhe clLles of Manlla Cuezon asay Caloocan MakaLl aslg Mandaluyong MunLlnlupa Laoag 8agulo
SanLlago uagupan Clongapo CabanaLuan San !ose Angeles CavlLe 8aLangas Lucena naga lrlga
Legazpl 8oxas llollo 8acolod uumagueLe 1acloban Cebu Mandaue 1agbllaran Surlgao 8uLuan
Cagayan de Cro uavao Ceneral SanLos CroquleLa Czamls ulpolog Zamboanga agadlan lllgan and
ln such oLher places as Lhe Supreme CourL may deem necessary

AddlLlonal cases oLher Lhan Lhose provlded ln Sec 3 may be asslgned Lo Lhe lamlly CourLs when Lhelr
dockeLs permlL rovlded 1haL such addlLlonal cases shall noL be heard on Lhe same day famlly cases are
heard

ln areas where Lhere are no lamlly CourLs Lhe cases referred Lo ln Sec 3 of Lhls AcL shall be ad[udlcaLed
by Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL

Sec 18 SeparablllLy Clause ln case any provlslon of Lhls AcL ls declared unconsLlLuLlonal Lhe oLher
provlslons shall remaln ln effecL

Sec 19 8epeallng Clause All oLher laws decrees execuLlve orders rules or regulaLlons lnconslsLenL
herewlLh are hereby repealed amended or modlfled accordlngly

Sec 20 LffecLlvlLy 1hls AcL shall Lake effecL flfLeen (13) days afLer lLs publlcaLlon ln aL leasL Lwo (2)
naLlonal newspapers of general clrculaLlon

Approved CcLober 28 1997