Moms and Dads

Atty. Jaye Bekema: Meet Every Parent’s Friendly Legal Mama!

by Kevyn Gohu
July 7, 2025

To make sure every parent knows their rights, Atty. Jaye de la Cruz Bekema turns to content creation and creates Legal Mama PH

Every society has laws. They’re designed to protect families, but how can they do that if most parents struggle to understand legal jargon and technical definitions? As a lawyer and mind behind Legal Mama PH, Atty. Jaye Bekema assures that the law really wasn’t designed for overwhelmed and tired parents to understand. “It’s really technical and abstract,” she admits. “And, there’s also a lot of fear and shame around asking legal questions, especially among families.”

Most of the embarrassment, she reveals, comes from families feeling guilty about not fully understanding court processes and the like. Plus, with many thinking that using the law is an act of confrontation, it sounds the warning bells off in the non-confrontational Filipino family culture. For many, involving the law is best avoided. Although she agrees that it’s best to reach an amicable settlement as much as possible, it shouldn’t mean avoiding legal education and information.

Yet, that’s the challenging part. How does one make something so technical simpler to understand?

To make sure every parent knows their rights, Atty. Jaye de la Cruz Bekema turns to content creation and creates Legal Mama PH

Meet the mama behind Legal Mama PH!

With over a decade of experience in writing laws, working in public policy, assisting Senator Risa Hontiveros, and as the chairperson of the Committee on Women and Children since 2016, Jaye Bekema is no stranger to using the law to safeguard her own two little ones. However, it struck her one day that many parents may not be as equipped as she was.

“From giving birth to registering a child, from breastfeeding rights to custody battles, the law touches every part of a parent’s life,” Jaye shares. “So, I thought, ‘What if I could make legal information feel less intimidating and more empowering for Filipino parents?’ That’s how Legal Mama PH was born—a quiet little corner of the internet where law meets love, and where we say: “Alam mo ‘to, Mama. Kaya mo ‘to.”

Making the law more “bite-sized”

Unfortunately, the law’s length is only matched by its comprehensiveness and exactness. Take a nuance here and there out, and it may alter the meaning completely. On the other hand, dumping all the information would intimidate even the most determined learners. Although it has been a challenge for Jaye to keep her law-based content short and accurate, her history working with underprivileged communities and human rights groups has made her a skilled translator in legal jargon. Or, what many netizens call “legalese.”

“While the law is serious, it doesn’t have to be something scary,” she shares. “That’s why I use stories, analogies, and real-life situations.”

A trip to her Instagram page demonstrates how powerful a tool the law could be for any parent who loves and protects their children. From instances of bullying on social media and school (Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act or RA 9262 & other child protection laws), assistance for solo parents (Solo Parents Welfare Act or RA 11861) to even benefits for parents, such as the Maternity and Paternity leave (Expanded Maternity Leave or RA 11210), the earthy-colored infographics she creates certainly looks a lot better than a dusty old law book!

But what if there are too many sources?

While the internet makes information more accessible, it’s a question now more of how credible one is. It can be easy to accidentally overlook things, especially with how search engines flood parents with sources from all sorts of places. But the best way to face an overwhelming amount of sources in context to the law, according to Jaye, means finding at least one question that addresses an everyday need.

“Ask: “What do I need to protect right now?”—Is it your child’s name? Your job while pregnant? Custody arrangements? Then seek credible sources that explain those rights in simple language. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions. You don’t need to know everything, just enough to ask the right questions,” she advises.

Law & Love: Home Edition

As a lawyer determined to ensure every parent is well-informed of their rights, Jaye makes sure it doesn’t rob her of the experience of being one. She protects her time like it’s gold, keeping her phone away during dinner time or bedtime stories. Her standards of keeping house and maintaining one’s presence had also become more realistic.

“The house isn’t always clean, and that’s okay,” she shares. “Also, presence doesn’t always mean big outings; sometimes it’s just sitting beside my son while he talks about Minecraft. Those little pockets of connection keep me grounded.”

The moments she spends with her two kids serve as the anchor to thrive in the thick tension of the court and Congress. Just as she listens with empathy, clearly negotiates, and remains calm in Congress, the same applies at home. How she does this also lies in her belief that asking questions works a lot better than just giving a one-sided lecture.

“Whether you’re cross-examining a witness or dealing with a toddler meltdown, how you ask matters,” she shares.

It’s a method she feels would also help parents who have encouraged their kids to take on law as their lifelong profession. “Encourage curiosity, not perfection. The best lawyers aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest grades—they’re the ones who can think critically, listen with empathy, and keep going even when it’s hard. If your child wants to be a lawyer, support their mental health and remind them that their worth isn’t tied to any exam. It’s a long road, but they’ll get there.”

Her method clearly has results for her kids have picked up on it also! “Sometimes it feels that my kids are better lawyers than I am!” she laughs.

A love letter from an alumna to the freshmen in law school

Like those who embraced the law as a profession, she’s had her fair share of struggles in law school. Surviving the harrowing journey of becoming a lawyer taught her how to find her people. Her study group, mentors, and even her friends who would remind her who she was out of school helped her survive. But what helped her thrive through all the pop recitations, dragging exams, and long nights is that she learned how to fail forward.

She shares, “I didn’t always have the highest scores, but I kept asking, ‘Why?’ and ‘What can I do better next time?’

She also advises students to “sleep.” And while many would just let out a nervous laughter in counting how many hours of quality sleep they’ve actually had, Jaye points out that finding time to do so teaches one how to advocate for their clients. ” You’re not a robot. You’re a future advocate. Care for your body and soul like you’d care for a client.”

“Dear mamas and papas, we are here to help. Love, The Law.”

As she continues to make sure the law is accessible in every institution and corner of the Philippines, Jaye Bekema reassures that parents don’t need to be perfect or all-knowing to be powerful. There’s no shame in asking for help. Saying the words “tulungan mo ako” will not make them any less of a parent, especially in the eyes of the law.

“Mama, papa, you don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. You already make so many decisions every day—with love, with grit, with wisdom. The law can be your ally, not your enemy. So keep learning, keep asking, and don’t be afraid to say: “Tulungan mo ako.” You deserve support, not shame. You deserve peace of mind, not panic. Our laws are imperfect, but they are there to protect you. So use them, optimize them, and know how they can be tools to protect the people you love the most.”

For all things family and legal-related, make sure to follow Legal Mama PH on Instagram!