Text of the provision

Art. 359. The government promotes the full growth of the faculties of every child. For this purpose, the government will establish, whenever possible:

(1) Schools in every barrio, municipality and city where optional religious instruction shall be taught as part of the curriculum at the option of the parent or guardian;

(2) Puericulture and similar centers;

(3) Councils for the Protection of Children; and

(4) Juvenile courts.

Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 386, approved June 18, 1949, effective August 30, 1950. Reproduced in full; verified verbatim against the LawPhil and ChanRobles official-text renderings.

What this article means

The government promotes the full growth of the faculties of every child and, whenever possible, is to establish schools in every barrio, municipality and city — where religious instruction is optional, at the parent’s or guardian’s choice — along with puericulture and similar centers, Councils for the Protection of Children, and juvenile courts.

Related provisions

Cases interpreting this article

Note. The text of the provision above is reproduced in full from the official enactment (Republic Act No. 386), verified against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings. The annotation and commentary around it are the work of Vivas & Nobles Law Office and are general legal information, not legal advice. How a provision applies to a particular situation depends on facts that only a lawyer reviewing your case can assess.