PARENTS

Latin word = parens

Caretaker of the offspring in their species
a parent is the mother or the father figure of a child
DEVELOPMENTAL TASK of PARENTS TO BE: Early Child Bearing Family (0-30
months old)
Emphasize the importance of pregnancy and immunization.
Learn the concept of parenting.
Income adjustment
R e-adjustment
Linkage with extended family
Role shift

Developmental Task of Parents to be: Mothering and Fathering

Financial preparation for the existence of additional member in the family
(child).
Prepare a safe environment for the upcoming child.
Managing a residence or home.
Establishing a more intimate bond with spouse.
Separation from parents
Rubins Theory of Maternal Role Attainment
From onset to its destination, childbearing
requires an exchange of a known self in a
known world for an unknown self in an
unknown world.

Reva Rubin
Development of Maternal Identity
The achievement of a firm concept or identity of oneself as a mother, in the
sense that she is comfortable in the role, occurs considerably later than the
birth of the child
Maternal identity development is the womans efforts aimed at becoming a mother
The Process of Maternal Role Taking
Mimicry
Role Play

 Fantasy
Introjection-projection-rejection/acceptance (IPR/A)
Grief work
1. Mimicry - an active operation in which the woman searches the environment
and her memory for other people who are or have been in the role she is working to
attain, and then examines their behavior and imitates them
2. Role play - acting out what a person in the sought role actually does in
particular situations.
- the earliest form of role behavior
3. Fantasy - involves cognitively trying varieties of possible role situations
- occurs by way of fears, dreams, and daydreams
4. Introjection -projection-rejection/acceptance (IPR/A) - the mother takes in the
behavior of others (introjection), and examines if it fits her own role expectations.
Then she imagines herself performing in that way (projection) and makes a
judgment about the behavior. If the fit is good, the behavior is accepted.
5. Grief work - an operation that has to do with giving up elements of the former
self which would be in conflict with the new role
Ramona Mercers Maternal Role Attainment Theory and Reva Rubins Theory

Mercer (1985) defines maternal role attainment as "a process in which the
mother achieves competence in the role and integrates the mothering
behaviors into her established role set, so that she is comfortable with her
identity as a mother".
Development of a maternal identity occurs in stages: the anticipatory stage,
the formal stage, the informal stage, and the personal, maternal role identity
stage. (Mercer 1985).
A. The Anticipatory Stage
-This stage begins during pregnancy whereby the woman prepares for her new role.
The pregnant woman prepares for this new role through completion of four major
developmental tasks (Rubin, 1984).
Maternal Tasks
-The totality of a womans psychologic work of pregnancy
-Has been grouped into four
seeking safe passage for self and baby
securing acceptance
learning to give of self
binding-in to the unknown baby
1. Seeking safe passage for self and baby
-seeking safe passage in the first trimester is for pregnancy care, in the
second trimester it is for baby care, and in the third it is for delivery care.

-The goal is to achieve a healthy pregnancy and an intact newborn with no

detrimental effects to the mother.
2. Securing acceptance
- securing acceptance is a condition necessary to produce and sustain the energy
for all the other tasks
- involves a reworking of psychologic, social and physical space within the family to
make a place for the coming child
- Rubin believes that this task is one of the most critical tasks for the pregnant
woman.
3. Learning to give of self
- giving is an inherent and pervasive part of being a mother, during both
childbearing or childrearing
- the woman has to learn to give to the child voluntarily on a day-to-day basis in
order for the child to survive
4. Binding-in to the unknown baby
- maternal binding-in is the dynamic process of attachment and interconnection
with the infant that begins in the prenatal period.
- has two halves: binding-in to the infant and binding-in to self as mother of
the infant

Maternal Tasks During Pregnancy by Psychologic Trimesters

TASK

FIRST

SECOND

Concern about self. Am I

sick or am I pregnant?

Concern about baby. Care of

and for baby. Is my baby all
right?

Securing
acceptanc
e

Works on acceptance of
herself as pregnant

Works on acceptance of her

baby

Works on acceptance of this

baby, as it is.

Giving

Cost-analysis: What do I
have to give up? Can I
give up all that I have
to?

Works on meaning of giving.

Learns to give by being
given to.

Feels given out. Feels she

cannot give anymore. Extracts
gifts from others.

Binding-in

Binds in to the idea of

self as pregnant. Baby is
not real

Attachment to baby. Secret

romantic love between self
and baby. Feels goodattributes it to baby. Seeks
messages from baby.

Carries a valuable treasure.

Becomes fearful- what one
possesses/ treasures can be
taken away. Hates being
pregnant but wants her baby.

Safe
Passage

THIRD
Concern about self and baby.
Seeking delivery care. Will my
baby and I safely go through
labor and delivery?

B. The Formal Stage

-The formal stage begins at birth. During this stage the new mother needs to
complete the following tasks as part of the process for acquiring the mothering role
(Mercer, 1981).
Maternal Tasks of Early Postpartum (Mercer, 1981)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Reconcile the actual childbirth experience with her prenatal fantasies of birth.
Reconcile pre-birth fantasies of baby with actual infant characteristics.
Reconcile her body image after birth with her expectations.
Observe the babys normal bodily functions.
Perform mothering tasks.
Redefine partner roles.
Resume other responsibilities.

1. Reconcile the actual childbirth experience with her prenatal fantasies of

birth.
-As the mother reviews the events of childbirth and reflects on how they differed from what
she expected, she begins integrating the experience with her expectation.
-She evaluates her performance in relation to the experiences of her mother, sisters, and
friends.
-When the actual experience is not what was expected, the mother may feel that her
performance was inadequate.
-Home visitors can involve partners in this discussion so that 1) the mother can receive
reassurance and support about her performance or 2) the experience can be reframed so
that she and the partner can recognize her strengths and accomplishments.

2. Reconcile pre-birth fantasies of baby with actual infant characteristics.

-Talking about how her babys characteristics compare with her fantasies of baby during
pregnancy helps the mother see babys uniqueness.
-Through this process the mother begins to claim the baby as hers, a step that is important
for sensitive and responsive care.
-When baby is the desired sex and has the expected size, coloring, and temperament
characteristics, then this task takes less effort and time and she can move to other tasks.
-When there are major gaps between expectations and reality, there is more work for mom.
Including the partner in this discussion can help facilitate identity with and attachment to
baby for both mother and partner.

3. Reconcile her body image after birth with her expectations.

-The new mother wants to look and feel feminine again. She is concerned about her
appearance. Her partners response can assist with this task or prolong it.

4. Observe the babys normal bodily functions.

-The new mother needs to see baby feed, suck, burp, and cry so that she can be assured
that there is nothing wrong with the baby. This is part of the early attachment process.

5. Perform mothering tasks.

-The first time mother with no experience focuses on learning and performing infant care
tasks such a bathing, feeding, burping, and diaper changing.
-The experienced mother is concerned with how to mother this new baby and how the baby
will fit into the family.
-Most mothers, regardless of experience, need reassurance that they are capable of care for
the new baby.

6. Redefine partner roles.

-The new mother and father begin to redefine their roles as partners and as parents to
include the new family member.

7. Resume other responsibilities.

-Following birth the mother begins to anticipate the responsibilities awaiting her at home
including meal preparation, care of older children, laundry and return to social activities
outside the home.
-The partner can assist the mother with identifying

C. The Informal Stage

-The informal stage begins during the first month. The mother creates her own responses to
her baby's cues and relies less on the advise of experts. The baby's response to her care and
comments from family members and friends provide the mother with feedback about her
competence as mother of this baby.

D. The Personal, Maternal Role Identity Stage

-This stage signals the endpoint of maternal role attainment. During this stage the mother:
Develops a sense of competence and satisfaction in the role.
Attaches to the infant.
Is comfortable with her maternal identity.
The timing and duration of these stages are influenced by a number of factors
including previous mothering experience, culture; support from significant others, the
mother's physical recovery, the baby's temperament and expectations of baby.

Psychological Adaptation to Pregnancy: Developmental Tasks

1st trimester: Pregnancy Validation
Accepting the pregnancy; even when the pregnancy is planned, there are
normal feelings of ambivalence and disbelief about the pregnancy.
2nd trimester: Fetal Embodiment
Accepting the baby
This occurs as the mother incorporates the growing fetus into her body
image.
The physical changes she is experiencing, especially the growing uterus, help
her meet this task.
Self-involvement, depression, or regressive behavior ---- signs of difficulty in
meeting this task.
Fetal Distinction-- Accepting the baby as a separate person
--When fetal movement is felt, it becomes easier for the mother to think of the fetus
as a separate being. She may daydream about what the baby will be like and think
about the kind of mother she wants to be.
3rd trimester: Role Transition Preparing for parenthood; Nesting
This includes parents exploring together the meaning of fathering and
mothering, learning parenting skills, the amazing skills of newborn for interactions,
and the physical maturing and behavioral changes of the first 12 months of life.
At the end of pregnancy, many mothers experience a surge of energy and to
see to it that the entire household is organized for the coming infant. This is called
nesting.
DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS OF THE EXPECTANT FATHER
1. ACCEPTANCE OF THE PREGNANCY AND ATTACHMENT TO THE FETUS
-This is necessary in finding a satisfactory role as father before parenting
responsibilities begin.
2. EVALUATION OF PRACTICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

-This is necessary in the development of a sense of being a good provider for ones
family.
3. RESOLUTION OF DEPENDENCY ISSUES (IN RELATION TO HIS WIFE)
-Develop greater anxiety about rejection or being unimportant because they receive
less of the wifes attention or because sexual relations lessen.
4. ACCEPTING AND RESOLVING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS OWN FATHER
-A fathers feeling toward his own father condition his own ability to express loving
and tender feelings toward his own child.
CHILD ABUSE INCLUDING LAWS PROTECTING CHILDREN
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8043
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE RULES TO GOVERN INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION OF
FILIPINO CHILDREN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act. the term:
(a) Inter-country adoption refers to the socio-legal process of adopting a Filipino
child by a foreigner or a Filipino citizen permanently residing abroad where the
petition is filed, the supervised trial custody is undertaken, and the decree of
adoption is issued outside the Philippines.
(b) Child means a person below fifteen (15) years of age unless sooner emancipated
by law.
(c) Department refers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development of the
Republic of the Philippines.
(d) Secretary refers to the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development.
(e) Authorized and accredited agency refers to the State welfare agency or a
licensed adoption agency in the country of the adopting parents which provide
comprehensive social services and which is duly recognized by the Department.
(f) Legally-free child means a child who has been voluntarily or involuntarily
committed to the Department, in accordance with the Child and Youth Welfare Code.
(g) Matching refers to the judicious pairing of the adoptive child and the applicant to
promote a mutually satisfying parent-child relationship.
(h) Board refers to the Inter-country Adoption Board.
Article II. The Inter-Country Adoption Board
Sec. 4. The Inter-Country Adoption Board. There is hereby created the InterCountry Adoption Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board to act as the central
authority in matters relating to inter-country adoption. It shall act as the policymaking body for purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act, in consultation
and coordination with the Department, the different child-care and placement
agencies, adoptive agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations engaged in
child-care and placement activities. As such, it shall:
(a) Protect the Filipino child from abuse, exploitation, trafficking and/or sale or any
other practice in connection with adoption which is harmful, detrimental, or
prejudicial to the child;
(b) Collect, maintain, and preserve confidential information about the child and the
adoptive parents;
(c) Monitor, follow up, and facilitate completion of adoption of the child through
authorized and accredited agency;

(d) Prevent improper financial or other gain in connection with an adoption and
deter improper practices contrary to this Act;
(e) Promote the development of adoption services including post-legal adoption;
(f) License and accredit child-caring/placement agencies and collaborate with them
in the placement of Filipino children;
(g) Accredit and authorize foreign adoption agency in the placement of Filipino
children in their own country; and
(h) Cancel the license to operate and blacklist the child-caring and placement
agency or adoptive agency involved from the accreditation list of the Board upon a
finding of violation of any provision under this Act.
Sec. 8. Who May be Adopted. Only a legally free child may be the subject of
inter-country adoption. In order that such child may be considered for placement,
the following documents must be submitted to the Board:
(a) Child study;
(b) Birth certificate/foundling certificate;
(c) Deed of voluntary commitment/decree of abandonment/death certificate of
parents;
(d) Medical evaluation /history;
(e)Psychological evaluation, as necessary; and
(f) Recent photo of the child.
Sec. 9. Who May Adopt. An alien or a Filipino citizen permanently residing
abroad may file an application for inter-country adoption of a Filipino child if he/she:
(a) is at least twenty-seven (27) years of age and at least sixteen (16) years older
than the child to be adopted, at the time of application unless the adopter is the
parent by nature of the child to be adopted or the spouse of such parent:
(b) if married, his/her spouse must jointly file for the adoption;
(d) has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;
(e) is eligible to adopt under his/her national law;
(f) is in a position to provide the proper care and support and to give the necessary
moral values and example to all his children, including the child to be adopted;
(g) agrees to uphold the basic rights of the child as embodied under Philippine laws,
the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to abide by the rules and
regulations issued to implement the provisions of this Act;
(h) comes from a country with whom the Philippines has diplomatic relations and
whose government maintains a similarly authorized and accredited agency and that
adoption is allowed under his/her national laws; and
(i) possesses all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications provided herein
and in other applicable Philippine laws.
Republic Act No. 8552
Domestic Adoption Act of 1998
(Promulgated February 25, 1998)
Sec 3. Definition of terms For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as:
(a) "Child" is a person below eighteen (18) years of age.
(b) "A child legally available for adoption" refers to a child who has been voluntarily
or involuntarily committed to the Department or to a duly licensed and accredited
child-placing or child-caring agency, freed of the parental authority of his/her
biological parent(s) or guardian or adopter(s) in case of rescission of adoption.

(c) "Voluntarily committed child" is one whose parent(s) knowingly and willingly
relinquishes parental authority to the Department.
(d) "Involuntarily committed child" is one whose parent(s), known or unknown, has
been permanently and judicially deprived of parental authority due to
abandonment; substantial, continuous, or repeated neglect; abuse; or
incompetence to discharge parental responsibilities.
(e) "Abandoned child" refers to one who has no proper parental care or guardianship
or whose parent(s) has deserted him/her for a period of at least six (6) continuous
months and has been judicially declared as such.
(f) "Supervised trial custody" is a period of time within which a social worker
oversees the adjustment and emotional readiness of both adopter(s) and adoptee in
stabilizing their filial relationship.
(g) "Department" refers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
(h) "Child-placing agency" is a duly licensed and accredited agency by the
Department to provide comprehensive child welfare services including, but not
limited to, receiving applications for adoption, evaluating the prospective adoptive
parents, and preparing the adoption home study.
(i) "Child-caring agency" is a duly licensed and accredited agency by the
Department that provides twenty four (24)-hour residential care services for
abandoned, orphaned, neglected, or voluntarily committed children.
(j) "Simulation of birth" is the tampering of the civil registry making it appear in the
birth records that a certain child was born to a person who is not his/her biological
mother, causing such child to lose his/her true identity and status.
Article III. Eligibilty
Sec. 7. Who May Adopt. The following may adopt:
(a) Any Filipino citizen of legal age, in possession of full civil capacity and legal
rights, of good moral character, has not been convicted of any crime involving
moral turpitude, emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for children, at
least sixteen (16) years older than the adoptee, and who is in a position to support
and care for his/her children in keeping with the means of the family. The
requirement of sixteen (16) year difference between the age of the adopter and
adoptee may be waived when the adopter is the biological parent of the adoptee, or
is the spouse of the adoptee's parent;
(b) Any alien possessing the same qualifications as above stated for Filipino
nationals: Provided, That his/her country has diplomatic relations with the Republic
of the Philippines, that he/she has been living in the Philippines for at least three (3)
continuous years prior to the filing of the application for adoption and maintains
such residence until the adoption decree is entered, that he/she has been certified
by his/her diplomatic or consular office or any appropriate government agency that
he/she has the legal capacity to adopt in his/her country, and that his/her
government allows the adoptee to enter his/her country as his/her adopted
son/daughter: Provided, Further, That the requirements on residency and
certification of the alien's qualification to adopt in his/her country may be waived for
the following:
(i) a former Filipino citizen who seeks to adopt a relative within the fourth (4th)
degree of consanguinity or affinity; or
(ii) one who seeks to adopt the legitimate son/daughter of his/her Filipino spouse; or
(iii) one who is married to a Filipino citizen and seeks to adopt jointly with his/her
spouse a relative within the fourth (4th) degree of consanguinity or affinity of the
Filipino spouse; or

(c) The guardian with respect to the ward after the termination of the guardianship
and clearance of his/her financial accountabilities.
Sec. 8. Who May Be Adopted. The following may be adopted:
(a) Any person below eighteen (18) years of age who has been administratively or
judicially declared available for adoption;
(b) The legitimate son/daughter of one spouse by the other spouse;
(c) An illegitimate son/daughter by a qualified adopter to improve his/her status to
that of legitimacy;
(d) A person of legal age if, prior to the adoption, said person has been consistently
considered and treated by the adopter(s) as his/her own child since minority;
(e) A child whose adoption has been previously rescinded; or
(f) A child whose biological or adoptive parent(s) has died: Provided, That no
proceedings shall be initiated within six (6) months from the time of death of said
parent(s).
Republic Act No. 9231
December 19, 2003
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD
LABOR AND AFFORDING STRONGER PROTECTION FOR THE WORKING CHILD,
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACTNO. 7610, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE "SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST CHILD ABUSE,
EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION ACT"
Section 2. Section 12 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:
"Sec. 2. Employment of Children - Children below fifteen (15) years of age shall not
be employed except:
1) When a child works directly under the sole responsibility of his/her parents or
legal guardian and where only members of his/her family are employed: Provided,
however, That his/her employment neither endangers his/her life, safety, health,
and morals, nor impairs his/her normal development: Provided, further, That the
parent or legal guardian shall provide the said child with the prescribed primary
and/or secondary education; or
2.) Where a child's employment or participation in public entertainment or
information through cinema, theater, radio, television or other forms of media is
essential: Provided, That the employment contract is concluded by the child's
parents or legal guardian, with the express agreement of the child concerned, if
possible, and the approval of the Department of Labor and Employment: Provided,
further, That the following requirements in all instances are strictly complied with:
"(a) The employer shall ensure the protection, health, safety, morals and normal
development of the child;
"(b) The employer shall institute measures to prevent the child's exploitation or
discrimination taking into account the system and level of remuneration, and the
duration and arrangement of working time; and
"(c) The employer shall formulate and implement, subject to the approval and
supervision of competent authorities, a continuing program for training and skills
acquisition of the child.
"In the above-exceptional cases where any such child may be employed, the
employer shall first secure, before engaging such child, a work permit from the

Department of Labor and Employment which shall ensure observance of the above
requirements.
"For purposes of this Article, the term "child" shall apply to all persons under
eighteen (18) years of age."
"Sec. 2-A. Hours of Work of a Working Child. - Under the exceptions provided in
Section 12 of this Act, as amended:
"(1) A child below fifteen (15) years of age may be allowed to work for not more
than twenty (20) hours a week: Provided, That the work shall not be more than four
(4) hours at any given day;
"(2) A child fifteen (15) years of age but below eighteen (18) shall not be allowed to
work for more than eight (8) hours a day, and in no case beyond forty (40) hours a
week;
"(3) No child below fifteen (15) years of age shall be allowed to work between eight
o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the following day and no
child fifteen (15) years of age but below eighteen (18) shall be allowed to work
between ten o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the following
day."
Republic Act No. 9262
March 08, 2004
AN ACT DEFINING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN,
PROVIDING FOR PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR VICTIMS, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES
THEREFORE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms.- As used in this Act,
(a) "Violence against women and their children" refers to any act or a series of acts
committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a
woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with
whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or
illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in
physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including
threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation
of liberty. It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
A. "Physical Violence" refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm;
B. "Sexual violence" refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a
woman or her child. It includes, but is not limited to:
a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as
a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically
attacking the sexual parts of the victim's body, forcing her/him to watch obscene
publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her child to do indecent
acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and mistress/lover to live in the
conjugal home or sleep together in the same room with the abuser;
b) acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity
by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm
or coercion;
c) Prostituting the woman or child.
C. "Psychological violence" refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause
mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as but not limited to intimidation,
harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated
verbal abuse and mental infidelity. It includes causing or allowing the victim to

witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to

which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness
abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody
and/or visitation of common children.
D. "Economic abuse" refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman
financially dependent which includes, but is not limited to the following:
1. withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any
legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases wherein the
other spouse/partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in
Article 73 of the Family Code;
2. deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use
and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common;
3. destroying household property;
4. controlling the victims' own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal
money or properties.
(b) "Battery" refers to an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child
resulting to the physical and psychological or emotional distress.
(c) "Battered Woman Syndrome" refers to a scientifically defined pattern of
psychological and behavioral symptoms found in women living in battering
relationships as a result of cumulative abuse.
(d) "Stalking" refers to an intentional act committed by a person who, knowingly
and without lawful justification follows the woman or her child or places the woman
or her child under surveillance directly or indirectly or a combination thereof.
(e) "Dating relationship" refers to a situation wherein the parties live as husband
and wife without the benefit of marriage or are romantically involved over time and
on a continuing basis during the course of the relationship. A casual acquaintance or
ordinary socialization between two individuals in a business or social context is not
a dating relationship.
(f) "Sexual relations" refers to a single sexual act which may or may not result in the
bearing of a common child.
SECTION 5. Acts of Violence Against Women and Their Children.- The crime
of violence against women and their children is committed through any of the
following acts:
(a) Causing physical harm to the woman or her child;
(b) Threatening to cause the woman or her child physical harm;
(c) Attempting to cause the woman or her child physical harm;
(d) Placing the woman or her child in fear of imminent physical harm;
(e) Inflicting or threatening to inflict physical harm on oneself for the purpose of
controlling her actions or decisions;
(f) Causing or attempting to cause the woman or her child to engage in any sexual
activity which does not constitute rape, by force or threat of force, physical harm, or
through intimidation directed against the woman or her child or her/his immediate
family;
(g) Engaging in purposeful, knowing, or reckless conduct, personally or through
another, that alarms or causes substantial emotional or psychological distress to the
woman or her child. This shall include, but not be limited to, the following acts:
(1) Stalking or following the woman or her child in public or private places;
(2) Peering in the window or lingering outside the residence of the woman or her
child;

(3) Entering or remaining in the dwelling or on the property of the woman or her
child against her/his will;
(4) Destroying the property and personal belongings or inflicting harm to animals or
pets of the woman or her child; and
(5) Engaging in any form of harassment or violence;
(h) Causing mental or emotional anguish, public ridicule or humiliation to the
woman or her child, including, but not limited to, repeated verbal and emotional
abuse, and denial of financial support or custody of minor children of access to the
woman's child/children.
What are the grounds for annulment?
1. Lack of parental consent in certain cases . If a party is 18 years or over, but below
21, and the marriage was solemnized without the consent of the parents/guardian.
However, the marriage is validated if, upon reaching 21, the spouses freely
cohabited with the other and both lived together as husband and wife.
2. Insanity. A marriage may be annulled if, at the time of marriage, either party was
of unsound mind, unless such party after coming to reason, freely cohabited with
the other as husband and wife.
3. Fraud. The consent of either party was obtained by fraud, unless such party
afterwards, with full knowledge of the facts constituting the fraud, freely cohabited
with the other as husband and wife. Fraud includes: (i) non-disclosure of a previous
conviction by final judgment of the other party of a crime involving moral turpitude;
(ii) concealment by the wife of the fact that at the time of the marriage, she was
pregnant by a man other than her husband; (iii) concealment of sexually
transmissible disease or STD, regardless of its nature, existing at the time of the
marriage; or (iv) concealment of drug addiction, habitual alcoholism or
homosexuality or lesbianism existing at the time of the marriage. However, no other
misrepresentation or deceit as to character, health, rank, fortune or chastity shall
constitute such fraud as will give grounds for action for the annulment of marriage.
4. Force, intimidation or undue influence. If the consent of either party was obtained
by any of these means, except in cases wherein the force, intimidation or undue
influence having disappeared or ceased, the complaining party thereafter freely
cohabited with the other as husband and wife.
5. Impotence. At the time of marriage, either party was physically incapable of
consummating the marriage with the other, and such incapacity continues and
appears to be incurable. Impotence is different from being infertile.
6. STD. If, at the time of marriage, either party was afflicted with a sexuallytransmissible disease found to be serious and appears to be incurable. If the STD is
not serious or is curable, it may still constitute fraud (see No. 3 above).
What are the grounds for legal separation?
1. Repeated physical violence or grossly abusive conduct directed against the
petitioner, a common child, or a child of the petitioner.
2. Physical violence or moral pressure to compel the petitioner to change religious
or political affiliation.
3. Attempt of respondent to corrupt or induce the petitioner, a common child, or a
child of the petitioner, to engage in prostitution, or connivance in such corruption or
inducement.
4. Final judgment sentencing the respondent to imprisonment of more than six
years, even if pardoned.
5. Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism of the respondent.

6. Lesbianism or homosexuality of the respondent.

7. Contracting by the respondent of a subsequent bigamous marriage, whether in
the Philippines or abroad.
8. Sexual infidelity or perversion.
9. Attempt by the respondent against the life of the petitioner.
10. Abandonment of petitioner by respondent without justifiable cause for more
than one year.
The term child shall include a child by nature or by adoption.
What are the grounds for declaration of nullity of marriage?
1. Minority (those contracted by any party below 18 years of age even with the
consent of parents or guardians).
2. Lack of authority of solemnizing officer (those solemnized by any person not
legally authorized to perform marriages, unless such marriages were contracted
with either or both parties believing in good faith that the solemnizing officer had
the legal authority to do so).
3. Absence of marriage license (except in certain cases).
4. Bigamous or polygamous marriages (except in cases where the other spouse is
declared as presumptively dead).
5. Mistake in identity (those contracted through mistake of one contracting party as
to the identity of the other).
6. After securing a judgment of annulment or of asolute nullity of mariage, the
parties, before entering into the subsequent marriage, failed to record with the
appropriate registry the: (i) partition and distribute the properties of the first
marriage; and (ii) delivery of the childrens presumptive legitime.
7. Incestous marriages (between ascendants and descendants of any degree,
between brothers and sisters, whether of the full or half blood).
8. Void by reason of public policy . Marriages between (i) collateral blood relatives
whether legitimate or illegitimate, up to the fourth civil degree; (ii) step-parents and
step-children; (iii) parents-in-law and children-in-law; (iv) adopting parent and the
adopted child; (v) surviving spouse of the adopting parent and the adopted child;
(vi) surviving spouse of the adopted child and the adopter; (vii) an adopted child
and a legitimate child of the adopter; (viii) adopted children of the same adopter;
and (ix) parties where one, with the intention to marry the other, killed that other
persons spouse, or his or her own spouse.
9. Psychological Incapacity. Psychological incapacity, which a ground for annulment
of marriage, contemplates downright incapacity or inability to take cognizance of
and to assume the basic marital obligations; not a mere refusal, neglect or difficulty,
much less, ill will, on the part of the errant spouse. Irreconcilable differences,
conflicting personalities, emotional immaturity and irresponsibility, physical abuse,
habitual alcoholism, sexual infidelity or perversion, and abandonment, by
themselves, also do not warrant a finding of psychological incapacity. We already
discussed the guidelines and illustrations of psychological incapacity, including a
case involving habitual lying, as well as the steps and procedure in filing a petition.
Please note, however, that there are still other grounds to declare a marriage as null
and void.
While it is true that annulment and divorce both pertain to the dissolution of a valid
marriage during the lifetime of both spouses, they are not exactly the same. There
are two fundamental differences: 1) the legal grounds; and 2) the procedure.