Penalizing Children Won’t Solve Elder Neglect — Why Lacson’s Bill Might Do More Harm Than Good

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson recently refiled the “Parents Welfare Act of 2025”, a bill that seeks to penalize children who abandon or neglect their elderly parents. At first glance, the proposal seems noble. Who wouldn’t want our seniors—who’ve raised us, worked hard, and contributed to society—to be treated with love and respect?

But dig a little deeper, and the problems start to unfold.

The Heart of the Issue

The bill aims to criminalize neglect of elderly parents, imposing penalties, fines, and even possible imprisonment on children who “abandon” them. While we all agree that elders deserve care and dignity, the bigger question is: Is punishing their children really the best solution?

In a country where millions of Filipinos live paycheck to paycheck, where public elder care services are nearly nonexistent, and where the cost of healthcare is rising, this kind of legislation can quickly turn from well-meaning to damaging.

Poverty Is Not Neglect

Here’s the thing—not everyone who fails to support their aging parents is uncaring. Some simply can’t afford it. The pandemic alone devastated the finances of countless Filipino families. Many breadwinners today juggle raising children, paying bills, and surviving inflation. Adding a legal threat to that pressure may only push families further apart.

Instead of solving the root issue, the bill shifts the government’s responsibility to individuals who are already burdened. It fails to consider cases where children are doing their best, but their “best” isn’t enough to meet the standards this law would impose.

What About Government Support?

If the senator truly wants to improve the lives of senior citizens, why not focus on expanding public eldercare programs, improving PhilHealth coverage, increasing senior pensions, or even creating accessible care homes?

In countries like Japan or the Netherlands, the government provides comprehensive care for the elderly—not just out of kindness, but because it’s a social responsibility. Here in the Philippines, we still see our elders begging for medicine, lining up for ayuda, or working despite their old age.

This shouldn’t be happening.

Legal Action May Tear Families Apart

Another scary reality: families will suffer even more under this bill. Legal action can create resentment, shame, and long-term emotional trauma. Imagine an elderly parent, out of frustration, taking their child to court. That’s not justice—that’s a broken system being passed off as a solution.

And what if the parent has dementia or other mental health concerns? What if there’s a history of abuse? The bill does not account for these complexities. It paints a one-size-fits-all image of family relationships, which we know is far from the reality.

What We Actually Need

If lawmakers truly want to help our lolos and lolas, here are better, more proactive solutions:

• Increase monthly pensions and make them accessible even to seniors who didn’t have formal jobs.
• Provide free maintenance medication and medical checkups for all senior citizens.
• Subsidize caregiving services and offer financial support to children caring for aging parents.
• Create safe, state-run elder care facilities in every city or province.

These would directly improve the lives of our elders without destroying already fragile family dynamics.

Yes, we must care for our elderly. That’s not even up for debate. But you don’t solve poverty and systemic neglect with punishment. You solve it with compassion, proper planning, and sustainable support from the state.

Laws should uplift, not divide. And in this case, Lacson’s refiled bill—though probably well-intentioned—misses the mark.