Philippine lawmakers revive divorce bill, but will it be passed this time?
Advertisement
Lawmakers have been trying to pass a divorce law since 2005, but continue to face resistance in the Catholic-majority country.
Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic and the Philippines and the Vatican are the only countries in the world that do not have divorce laws. Annulment exists but is a tedious and often expensive process. Muslims are currently the only Filipinos able to legally divorce under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws.
As the 20th Congress opened on Monday, three representatives filed two measures that aim to revive the absolute divorce bill that the House of Representatives passed earlier but ultimately languished in the Senate as conservative legislators and religious leaders vowed to fight the bill.
Representatives Antonio Tinio and Renee Louise Co of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Kabataan partylists filed House Bill 210, while Jonathan Clement Abalos of the 4Ps partylist filed House Bill 108. Both versions establish the grounds for granting absolute divorce. These include physical violence, drug addiction, homosexuality and other factors related to the annulment of marriage under the country's Family Code.
Filipino Catholic devotees jostle to touch the carriage carrying the statue of the Black Nazarene during the annual procession on its feast day in Manila on January 9. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Photo: Reuters
Divorce advocates said lawmakers had neglected the divorce bill in favour of other issues, such as the crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), despite divorce being 'a national issue'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
18 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Why Cambodia nominated Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize
When Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol stood before reporters in Phnom Penh last Friday, he offered thanks not to China or Asean, but to Donald Trump , whose intervention in the kingdom's border dispute with Thailand, he said, merited nothing less than a Nobel Peace Prize Far from being a simple act of gratitude, observers say the move reflects Cambodia 's 'adept ability' to navigate the shifting fault lines of great power rivalry in Southeast Asia – and its determination to avoid overreliance on Beijing. Speaking in the capital on Friday, Chanthol publicly thanked the US president for his personal involvement in halting the recent deadly border clashes with Thailand and insisted that Trump deserved the Nobel. The award, widely regarded as the world's most prestigious peace accolade, is typically bestowed upon individuals or organisations judged to have 'advanced fellowship between nations'. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol credited Trump with bringing about the ceasefire. Photo: Reuters But Sophal Ear, associate professor at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management, told This Week in Asia that Cambodia's nomination was less a reflection of Trump's peacemaking credentials than of Phnom Penh's 'strategic positioning'. 'The gesture is largely symbolic, a low-cost, high-profile way to curry favour with a US president who remains unpredictable and transactional,' the Cambodian-American political scientist said.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Philippines, India mark strategic leap in 75 years of ties amid China tensions
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr 's state visit to India has culminated in the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, marking a symbolic high point as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. Advertisement Beyond the ceremony, analysts say the trip reflects a growing convergence between Manila and New Delhi on maritime security, defence cooperation and economic resilience – a relationship shaped by shared democratic values, overlapping interests in the Indo-Pacific, and parallel tensions with China. 'As this year marks 75 years of India-Philippines diplomatic relations, President Marcos Jnr's visit will be seen as a landmark in the bilateral relationship,' Pooja Bhatt, associate professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs, told This Week in Asia. On Tuesday, Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos were formally welcomed at the presidential residence in Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan, following a meeting the previous day between Marcos and the Filipino community in India. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (second from left) and his wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos (right), meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu (right) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) during a welcome reception at the president's House in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: EPA Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two leaders held wide-ranging talks on Tuesday, discussing 'mutual cooperation, regional issues, and international situations in detail'. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
US F-16s lose out as Thai air force seals US$600 million deal for Swedish Gripen jets
The US$600 million agreement for the Saab JAS 39 Gripens was first announced in June as part of a long-term plan to modernise the air force's combat capabilities. During five days of clashes with Cambodia that left more than 40 people dead, Thailand used its fleet of F-16s to strike military targets across the border. It was the deadliest border fighting between the two countries in decades. The purchase of four Swedish-built Gripen jets is part of a long-term plan to modernise Thailand's air force. Photo: Reuters 'The cabinet has approved the purchase of JAS 39 Saab Gripen to strengthen the Royal Thai Air Force and protect Thailand's sovereignty,' the air force said in a social media post.
