Text of the provision

Art. 222. The courts may appoint a guardian of the child's property or a guardian ad litem when the best interests of the child so requires.

(317)

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

Even while parental authority subsists, a court may step in to protect a child in two ways: by appointing a guardian of the child's property (to manage assets, where the parents cannot or should not), or a guardian ad litem (to represent the child specifically in a lawsuit).

The single standard is the best interests of the child. The appointment supplements rather than displaces parental authority, filling a gap where the child's interests need a dedicated protector.

Related provisions

Cases interpreting this article

Note. The text of the provision above is reproduced in full from the official enactment. The annotation, case summaries and commentary around it are the work of Vivas & Nobles Law Office and are general legal information, not legal advice. Whether this provision applies to a particular marriage depends on facts that only a lawyer reviewing your situation can assess.