Divorce bills OKd 'in principle' by House panel

The House committee on population and family relations has approved "in principle" eight bills on divorce.

According to Tina Panganiban Perez's report on "24 Oras," the bills will be consolidated into a substitute measure by a technical working group.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said the Philippines is now the only country that has not legalized absolute divorce.

"Till death do us part, is wonderful. Marriage is beautiful. But only for those who get it right," added Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez, one of the authors of the measure.

Currently, the only legal ways for a married couple to separate are separation, annulment, and dissolution of marriage.

Most couples filed for dissolution of marriage from 2009 to 2022, records show.

Apart from the expensive and long process of annulment and dissolution of marriage, they are also complicated.

"Unlike in a divorce proceeding which it is mandated to be inexpensive, affordable and expeditious," Lagman said.

"Poor women are left without options, but we surprisingly see rich personalities able to expedite annulment they have the money," said Elizabeth Angsioco of Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines.

"In annulment and dissolution of marriage based on psychological incapacity, the causes must exist before or contemporaneous with the celebration of the marriage, while in reality the overwhelming grounds for divorce occur after the marriage and during cohabitation," Lagman added.

Moreover, the committee has also approved the proposal for the state to recognize the annulment of the church's marriage.

Some groups have expressed opposition to the divorce bills.

"The bills are contrary to the constitutional mandate to strengthen and protect the family as a basic autonomous social institution and marriage as an inviolable social institution," said Attorney Joel Arzaga of Alliance for the Family Foundation, Inc.

Another group, however, countered that having divorce is important, especially if the husband or wife is in an abusive relationship.

"Allowing married spouses trapped in irremediably broken marriages to break free and start anew," said Professor Leo Battad, University of the Philippines Gender Law and Policy Program.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, meanwhile, said it is supportive of the bill recognizing church annulment.

“We are not supportive of the bill on absolute divorce but we are actually supportive of the bill recognizing church annulments. It’s going to be cheaper than the usual one,” said CBCP's Father Jerome Secillano. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News