Puwede bang ibenta ng magulang ang minanang lupa ng menor-de-edad na anak?

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 12, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ang aking anak ay pinamanahan ng lupa ng kanyang yumaong tiyo noong siya ay tatlong taong gulang pa lamang. Siya ngayon ay 10 taong gulang na at ako ay nawalan ng trabaho, dahilan kung kaya kami ay wala nang kakayahan upang tustusan ang kanyang mga pangangailangan, maging ang kanyang pag-aaral. Gusto kong malaman kung maaari ba naming ipagbili na mag-asawa ang nasabing lupa kahit na ang titulo ay nasa pangalan ng aming anak nang sa gayon ay may maipantustos kami sa kanyang mga pangangailangan? - Relyn

Dear Relyn,

Ang batas na sasaklaw patungkol sa iyong katanungan ay ang Executive Order No. 209 s. 1987, o mas kilala bilang The Family Code of the Philippines. Nakasaad sa Article 225 nito na:

“Art. 225. The father and the mother shall jointly exercise legal guardianship over the property of the unemancipated common child without the necessity of a court appointment. In case of disagreement, the father’s decision shall prevail, unless there is a judicial order to the contrary.

Where the market value of the property or the annual income of the child exceeds P50,000, the parent concerned shall be required to furnish a bond in such amount as the court may determine, but not less than ten per centum (10%) of the value of the property or annual income, to guarantee the performance of the obligations prescribed for general guardians.”

Samantala, ang kapangyarihan ng mga magulang kaugnay sa ari-arian ng kanilang anak ay binigyang-linaw ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Amelia B. Hebron v. Franco L. Loyola, et al., G.R. No. 168960, 05 July 2010, Ponente: Honorable Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo:

“The minor children of Conrado inherited by representation in the properties of their grandparents Remigia and Januario. These children, not their mother Victorina, were the co-owners of the inherited properties. Victorina had no authority or had acted beyond her powers in conveying, if she did indeed convey, to the petitioner’s mother the undivided share of her minor children in the property involved in this case.

“The powers given to her by the laws as the natural guardian covers only matters of administration and cannot include the power of disposition. She should have first secured the permission of the court before she alienated that portion of the property in question belonging to her minor children.”

In a number of cases, where the guardians, mothers or grandmothers, did not seek court approval of the sale of properties of their wards, minor children, the Court declared the sales void.”

Alinsunod sa batas at sa nabanggit na desisyon ng Korte Suprema, ang kapangyarihan na itinalaga ng batas sa mga magulang kaugnay sa ari-arian ng kanilang menor-de-edad na anak ay sumasaklaw lamang sa pangangasiwa nito, at hindi sa pagbenta o paglipat ng nasabing ari-arian, o anumang uri ng disposisyon ng nasabing ari-arian. Ang mga magulang ay marapat na humingi ng pahintulot mula sa korte, kung kanilang ipagbibili ang ari-arian ng kanilang menor-de-edad na anak. Kaugnay nito ang anumang disposisyon na labag sa batas ay maaaring ideklarang walang bisa.

Kaya naman, hindi mo maaaring ibenta nang basta lamang ang lupang minana ng iyong anak. Kailangan mo munang humingi ng pahintulot mula sa korte, at kung ang halaga ng lupa ay higit P50,000.00, kailangan din na magbigay ka ng bond.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

Pag-publish ng love letter na galing sa dating kasintahan

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 11, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Sinulatan ako ng love letter ng aking dating kasintahan at nais ko itong ipalathala bilang artikulo sa isang magazine. Maaari ko bang gawin ito nang walang pahintulot niya? - Ysabel

Dear Ysabel,

Para sa iyong kaalaman, nakasaad sa Artikulo 723 ng New Civil Code of the Philippines ang mga panuntunan kung sino ang may karapatan sa isang sulat. Sang-ayon sa nasabing batas:

“Art. 723. Letters and other private communications in writing are owned by the person to whom they are addressed and delivered, but they cannot be published or disseminated without the consent of the writer or his heirs. However, the court may authorize their publication or dissemination if the public good or the interest of justice so requires.”

Ito rin ang nakasaad sa Seksyon 178.6 ng Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines kung saan nakasaad na:

“178.6. In respect of letters, the copyright shall belong to the writer subject to the provisions of Article 723 of the Civil Code.”

Sa iyong sitwasyon, maituturing na ikaw ang may-ari ng mismong love letter, subalit hindi mo maaaring ipalathala ang nilalaman ng sulat nang wala ang pahintulot ng iyong dating kasintahan na siyang sumulat ng liham sapagkat kahit na ikaw ang may-ari ng pisikal na liham, ang “copyright” para sa nilalaman nito ay nananatili sa taong nagsulat.

Samakatuwid, upang maipalathala mo ang nilalaman ng nasabing sulat, kakailanganin mo munang hingin ang pahintulot ng iyong dating kasintahan.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

PWD, may discount online

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 9, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ako ay isang person with disability (PWD). Madalas akong nag-o-online shopping ng groceries at pagkain. Maaari pa rin ba akong makapag-avail ng discount kahit sa online ako bumibili? – Kay

Dear Kay,

Malinaw na nakasaad sa Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2022, o kilala bilang “Guidelines on the Provision of the Mandatory Statutory Benefits and Privileges of the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities on their Purchases Through Online (E-Commerce) and Phone Calls/SMS”, na may petsang ika-06 ng Mayo 2022, ang pagbibigay ng paalala sa mga business establishments na kailangang mag-comply sa batas at bigyan ng discounts ang mga covered goods at services, kahit ang mga ito ay binili/in-avail online ng senior citizens (SC) at persons with disability (PWD):

“Section 6. Mechanisms for the Availment of 20% and 5% Special Discount for Online Purchases of Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability. A Senior Citizen or a Person with Disability shall be entitled to the grant of 20% discount and 12% VAT-exempt of their purchase of goods and services; and 5% special discount for basic necessities and prime commodities provided herein, for their exclusive use and enjoyment.

A. General guidelines for availment

6.1. The Senior Citizen must present his/her Senior Citizen ID issued by the OSCA in the city or municipality where the senior citizen resides, or any Government-issued ID, which reflects the name, picture, date of birth and nationality of the senior citizen, and other pertinent requirements as prescribed in the succeeding provisions of this JMC.

The Person with Disability must present his/her Person with Disability ID, issued by the PDAO or the C/MSWDO of the place where the person with disability resides, or the NCDA, and other pertinent requirements as prescribed in the succeeding provisions of this JMC.

If a purchaser is both a Senior Citizen and a Person with Disability, the purchaser shall only be allowed to avail either the discount for Senior Citizens or the discount for Person with Disability, and he/she shall present the relevant ID as required under the preceding paragraphs.

If the purchaser is children with disability, the parents have the full authority to purchase the product for their child and must only present the ID as required in this JMC.

B. E-Commerce Purchases through the internet or online platform:

6.5. The Senior Citizen or Person with Disability must, prior to placement of order, declare to the online platform/merchant that he/she is a Senior Citizen or a Person with Disability.

Upon confirmation of order/s, the Senior Citizen or Person with Disability must provide/attach a scanned copy/screenshot or image of his/her ID, as explained in paragraph 6.1 of this JMC.

In addition, the following shall also be attached by the Senior Citizen or the Person with Disability upon placement of the order:

6.5.1. For purchases of medicines, copy of the medical prescription, copy of the front page and last entry page of the Senior Citizen/ Person with Disability purchase booklet.

6.5.2. For purchases of basic necessities and prime commodities, copy of the front page and last entry page of the Senior Citizen/ Person with Disability purchase booklet for commodities.

6.6. Upon delivery of the goods/orders or performance of the service purchased through the online platform the Senior Citizen or the Person with Disability, or his/her authorized representative, shall present the original copy of the Senior Citizen or the Person with Disability proof of entitlement which was attached during the confirmation of his/her order/s together with the authorization letter, if applicable.

6.7. In the event that upon delivery of the goods/orders or performance of the service, the Senior Citizen, Person with Disability, or his/her authorized representative failure to present the Senior Citizen/ Person with Disability ID, or any government issued ID, as proof of discount entitlement and authorization letter, if applicable, the concerned platform/merchant may charge the Senior Citizen and the Person with Disability the full amount of the goods/orders or service.”

Alinsunod dito, ang online merchants/business establishments ay obligadong magbigay sa iyo ng mga diskuwento na ibinibigay sa mga PWD. Kung hindi ito ibigay sa iyo, maaari kang maghain ng reklamo sa Persons with Disability Affairs Office o sa local social welfare and development office ng lugar kung saan ka nakatira, o kung saan matatagpuan ang establisimyentong iyong irereklamo. Kung mapatunayan na totoo ang iyong reklamo, maaaring mapanagot ang kaukulang establisimyento para sa mga parusang itinatadhana ng Republic Act Nos. 9994 at 7277, as amended.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.