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House Panel Approves Divorce Bill

House Committee on Population and Family

Relations unanimously approved last March a bill
seeking to reinstitute absolute divorce for married
couples who are in a dysfunctional or abusive
relationship.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman explained that the bill, co-

authored by 70 lawmakers, offers “expeditious,
reasonable, and inexpensive” alternative for legally
ending a marriage. The bill is almost a replica of the
one that was passed during the 17 th Congress or
during first 3 years of the Duterte administration.
And that said bill was stalled due to the pandemic.

He clarified that the proposed bill is only applicable

for exceptional circumstances wherein one of the
spouses is experiencing physical and/or emotional
abuse. And to be afforded remedy under the bill,
the cause for the divorce must be established by
proof which shows that the marriage has
completely collapsed without any possibility of
reconciliation.

In this bill, there is a provision on a 60-day cooling-

off period wherein the judge shall exert efforts to
reconcile the parties. And even if an absolute
divorce decree has been issued, where the divorced
couple has decided to reconcile, the divorce decree
may still be nullified.

There is also a provision in which penalties are

meted out for parties who are found to have
colluded with or coerce another in order to secure
a divorce.