Chapter 3. Illegitimate Children

Art. 175. Illegitimate children may establish their illegitimate filiation in the admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support and on the admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport as legitimate children.

The action must be brought within the same period specified in Article 173, except when the action is based on the second paragraph of Article 172, in which case the action may be brought during the admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport.

Art. 176. Illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall be under the admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support , and shall be entitled to admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport in conformity with this Code. However, illegitimate children may use surname of their father if their filiation has been admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport by the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or when an admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport in a public document or admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport is made by the father. Provided, the father has the right to institute an action before the regular courts to prove non-filiation admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport. The legitime of each illegitimate child shall consist of admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport of the legitime of a legitimate child.(As amended by Republic Act 9255, approved February 24,2004.)

Chapter 4. Legitimated Children

Art. 177. Children admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support outside of wedlock of parents who, at the time of admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport of the former, were not disqualified by any admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport to marry each other, or were so admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport only because either or both of them were below eighteen (18) years of age, may be legitimated. (As amended by Republic Act 9858 approved on December 20, 2009)

Art. 178. Legitimation shall take place by a admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support between parents. The admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport shall not affect the legitimation.

Art. 179. Legitimated children shall enjoy the admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support as legitimate children.

Art. 180. The effects of legitimation shall admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support to the time of the child's birth.

Art. 181. The legitimation of children who died before the celebration of the marriage shall admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support .

Art. 182. Legitimation may be impugned only by those who are admission annulment of a voidable marriage benefit their descendants conceived and born conception disqualified during his lifetime expressly recognized five years impediment lifetime of the alleged parent one-half parental authority of their mother prejudiced private handwritten instrument retroact same evidence same rights same way subsequent valid marriage support in their rights, within admissionannulment of a voidable marriagebenefit their descendantsconceived and bornconceptiondisqualifiedduring his lifetimeexpressly recognizedfive yearsimpedimentlifetime of the alleged parentone-halfparental authority of their motherprejudicedprivate handwritten instrumentretroactsame evidencesame rightssame waysubsequent valid marriagesupport from the time their cause of action accrues.