FamilyCode.ph provides general educational and informational material about Philippine family law. It is not legal advice.
By using this website you acknowledge the limitations described below.
Not Legal Advice
FamilyCode.ph is not a law firm, and the material on this website is not individualised legal advice. Reading a guide, using a checklist, sending us an email or using any other resource here does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Our guides describe what the law says and how it is generally applied. They cannot take account of your facts, your evidence, your documents or the position of the other people involved — and in family law those are usually what decide the outcome. If you need advice on a specific matter, consult a qualified Philippine lawyer.
Not a Government Agency or Court
FamilyCode.ph is independent and is not the Philippine Statistics Authority, a local civil registrar, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Authority for Child Care, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court, a Family Court or any other Philippine government body.
Links to official agencies are provided so readers can reach primary sources and official procedures. We cannot accept filings, process documents, transmit anything to a court or agency on your behalf, or influence how a matter will be handled.
Accuracy and Currency
We aim to keep FamilyCode accurate, traceable and current, but statutes are amended, rules of procedure are revised, agency requirements change, and Supreme Court decisions change how existing provisions are applied. No website can guarantee that every page is current at every moment.
Verify important periods, filing requirements, grounds, fees and documentary requirements against the current official source before acting. Every guide cites its sources. See our Editorial Policy & Research Methodology and Corrections & Updates Policy.
Philippine Law Only
This site addresses Philippine family law. It does not describe the law of any other country. Where a guide discusses a foreign element — a marriage celebrated abroad, a divorce obtained abroad, a spouse or child residing abroad — it describes how Philippine law and Philippine courts treat that situation, not how the foreign jurisdiction treats it. If a foreign legal system is involved, you will usually need advice in that jurisdiction as well.
No Guarantee of Outcome
Family courts exercise discretion. Two cases with similar facts can be decided differently. Nothing on this site is a prediction, guarantee or assurance of any particular result, timeline or cost, and following a FamilyCode guide does not guarantee a particular outcome from a court, an agency, a registrar or any other party.
Pending Bills and Emerging Rules
FamilyCode may discuss proposed legislation and draft rules because readers need to know where the law is heading. Unless expressly identified as enacted and in force, such material must not be treated as a current legal requirement.
Checklists and Sample Documents
Checklists, document lists and sample language are general starting points. They may not fit your circumstances, your court or your registrar without modification and professional review, and they are not a substitute for pleadings prepared by counsel.
External Links
We link extensively to government websites, statutes, court decisions and agency portals. Those sites are controlled by their operators. We do not guarantee their availability, security, accuracy or continued content. Where an official and an unofficial copy of a legal text both exist, treat the official one as controlling.
Intellectual Property
Original FamilyCode editorial text, structure, graphics and other original site material may be protected by applicable intellectual-property law. Philippine statutes, court decisions and other government materials may have a different copyright or public-domain status. Linking to or quoting an official source claims no ownership over that source.
Responsible Use
You agree not to use FamilyCode.ph in a way that unlawfully interferes with the website, attempts unauthorised access, introduces malicious code, abuses site resources or violates applicable law.
Limitation of Liability
The website and its content are provided on an as-is basis. To the fullest extent permitted by Philippine law, FamilyCode.ph and the people who operate it are not liable for loss or damage arising from reliance on the content of this site, from any inaccuracy or omission in it, or from any interruption in its availability. Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, and any dispute arising from the use of this website is subject to the jurisdiction of the competent Philippine courts.
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If You Need Help With an Actual Case
Speak to a lawyer. Free or subsidised assistance may be available from the Public Attorney’s Office for those who qualify, and from the legal aid programmes of Integrated Bar of the Philippines chapters. If anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or the nearest Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Desk rather than looking for an answer here.
Changes to These Terms
These terms may be updated when the website, its services or relevant legal requirements change. Continued use after an update is subject to the then-current version. Questions may be sent through the Contact page.
Last materially reviewed: September 10, 2026.