[Ateneo Breakthroughs] Rethinking the Best Interests of the Child: Beyond Legitimacy in Family Law

Rethinking the Best Interests of the Child: Beyond Legitimacy in Family Law by Atty. Amparita S. Sta. Maria 26 August 2026, Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 PM Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Heights Campus, Quezon City Host: Dr. Katherine G. Lacson Being legitimate is a favored status under Philippine laws. The discriminatory treatment and stigma faced by illegitimate children have constrained the legal system to adhere to a deeply ingrained assumption that conferring legitimacy is always in a child's best interests. This assumption has even led courts to prohibit questions on paternity if it meant casting doubts on the legitimate status of a child. This lecture challenges the validity of this assumption and argues instead that children’s best interests are better served by eliminating the discriminatory laws associated with illegitimacy. -- Atty. Amparita S. Sta. Maria is Director of the Graduate Legal Studies Institute, Ateneo Law School. She teaches Family Law, and co-teaches Human Rights Law, Laws on Women and Children, Gender and the Law, Health Systems Governance for Universal Health Care, and International Criminal Law. She graduated with honors from the Ateneo Law School and obtained her Master of Laws degree from the University of Toronto under a Women’s Rights and Reproductive Health Graduate Scholarships of the Faculty of Law. Atty. Sta. Maria is also a Professorial Lecturer II and a member of the Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Department of the Philippine Judicial Academy. She regularly reviews submissions for MCLE Asynchronous Seminars. In 2022, she was an Examiner of Civil law in the Bar Examinations. + Follow Ateneo de Manila on: Facebook   / ateneodemanila   Twitter   / ateneodemanilau   Instagram   / ateneodemanilau   Linkedin   / ateneo-de-manila-university   Learn more at: https://ateneo.edu