Title
Lowering age of majority to 18 years
Law
Republic Act No. 6809
Decision Date
Dec 13, 1989
Republic Act No. 6809 lowers the age of majority from twenty-one to eighteen years, terminating parental authority and granting emancipation to individuals at the age of eighteen, while still requiring parental consent for marriage until the age of twenty-one.
A

Repeal of Articles 235 and 237

  • Articles 235 and 237 of the Family Code are repealed completely.

Effects of Emancipation and Parental Authority

  • Article 236 is amended to clarify:
    • Emancipation ends parental authority over the person and property of the child.
    • The emancipated individual is responsible for all civil acts.
    • Parental consent is still required to contract marriage until the age of twenty-one.
    • The law does not remove responsibilities of parents and guardians for individuals below twenty-one under Civil Code provisions.

Non-Retroactivity of Certain Legal Instruments

  • Existing wills, bequests, donations, grants, insurance policies, and similar provisions favorable to minors remain valid without prejudice.
  • The amendment does not retroactively affect these instruments adversely.

Effectivity and Publication

  • The Act takes effect upon publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
  • The law consolidates House Bill No. 143 and Senate Bill No. 181.
  • It was approved and enacted on December 13, 1989.

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