03/06/2024
The Philippines, the only country in the world where divorce is not allowed, becomes a country where divorce is allowed
Philippine House of Representatives finally approves the legal divorce bill
The Philippine House of Representatives announced that it has finally approved the legal divorce bill (Bill 9349) in its third and final session with 126 votes in favor, 109 votes against, and 20 abstentions.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Edcel Lagman, states, "As the only country in the world other than the Vatican where divorce is still illegal, this approval is necessary to resolve irretrievably broken marriages and provide options for individuals who are unhappy due to irretrievable marriages. Despite the country recognizing marriage as a social institution and the foundation of the family, the approval of this bill puts the responsibility of the state in rescuing couples and children from families suffering from marital discord."
The recently approved divorce bill notifies that the following grounds for legal separation under the Philippine Family Code may be considered:
▲Physical violence or serious abuse against the petitioner, common children, or the petitioner's children; ▲Physical violence or moral pressure to force the petitioner to change his religious or political affiliation; ▲Actions by the respondent to induce the petitioner, common children, or the petitioner's children to pr******te or engage in prostitution; ▲A final judgment sentencing the respondent to imprisonment for more than six years; ▲Drug addiction, habitual alcoholism, chronic gambling; ▲Contracts by the respondent for homos*xuality or bigamy of the respondent; ▲Adultery or perverted acts during the marriage, or having a child through adultery with a person other than the spouse during the marriage; ▲If the respondent abandons the petitioner for more than one year without just cause; ▲If the marriage is registered without the consent of the parents through fraud, coercion, threat, undue influence, force, etc., the annulment of the marriage may be enforced under the Philippine Family Code.
A petition for legal divorce must be filed by the petitioner or co-petitioners in the competent family court within 10 years from the date of occurrence of the grounds for divorce or the date of knowledge of such grounds, and the court shall grant a 60-day grace period after the filing of the petition to allow the parties to reunite and reconcile.
However, the 60-day grace period shall not apply to divorce cases involving acts of violence against a woman and her children, acts that threaten the life of the other spouse, joint children, or children of the petitioner.
A divorce decree that has already been granted shall be immediately nullified if the parties decide to reconcile.
“It is a legitimate and proper right of Filipinos to have the proper courts decide (on divorce),” said Rep. Edcel Lagman, who introduced the bill. “This is merely an alternative solution for some cases where problems have arisen and will not apply to the vast majority of Filipino couples who are continuing to have loving marriages,” he added.
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