Text of the provision
Art. 199. Whenever two or more persons are obliged to give support, the liability shall devolve upon the following persons in the order herein provided:
(1) The spouse;
(2) The descendants in the nearest degree;
(3) The ascendants in the nearest degree; and
(4) The brothers and sisters.
(294a)
Family Code of the Philippines, Executive Order No. 209, approved July 6, 1987. The Code took effect on August 3, 1988 (Republic v. Orbecido III, G.R. No. 154380, October 5, 2005). Reproduced in full.
What this article means
When more than one person could be made to give support, the law sets a strict order of priority — the claimant looks to them in sequence, not all at once:
- the spouse;
- the descendants in the nearest degree;
- the ascendants in the nearest degree; then
- the brothers and sisters.
Support is demanded from the person earlier in the list first; only if they cannot provide it does the duty pass to the next. The order also resolves competing claims under Article 200.
Questions about this provision
- In what order are relatives liable to give support in the Philippines?
- Who is legally required to give support to a family member?
Related provisions
- Article 200 — how liability is divided and competing claims resolved.
- Article 195 — who are obliged to support one another.
Cases citing this article
- Ma. Belen B. Mangonon etc. vs. Hon. Court of Appeals, et al, G.R. No. 125041, June 30, 2006 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis, III vs. Civil Registrar General, G.R. No. 217910, September 3, 2019 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Fe Floro Valino vs. Rosario D. Adriano, et al, G.R. No. 182894, April 22, 2014 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Richelle Busque Ordoña vs. The Local Civil Registrar of Pasig City and Allan D, G.R. No. 215370, November 9, 2021 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Spouses Prudencio and Filomena Lim vs. Ma. Cheryl S. Lim, for herself and on behalf of her minor children Lester Edward S. Lim, Candice Grace S. Lim, and Mariano S. Lim, III, G.R. No. 163209, October 30, 2009 — read the decision on LawPhil →
Compiled automatically from Supreme Court decisions published on LawPhil that expressly cite this article, most frequently cited first. A listing means the decision cites the provision — it is not a statement that the case is the leading authority, and it does not show whether a ruling has since been modified or abandoned. Always read the decision itself.