A Senate panel has approved a bill that would expand the grounds for dissolution of marriage and introduce divorce to the Philippines.
The bill, which was consolidated from several separate proposals, was approved by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.
The committee said that the bill is necessary to protect the dignity of individuals and to uphold fundamental equality before the law.
Under the bill, a petition for absolute divorce can be filed separately or jointly by both spouses. If the spouses have common children, they must include a plan for parenthood in their petition, which must provide for the support, custody, and living arrangements of their children.
The bill also includes provisions for indigent litigants. The court can waive the payment of filing fees and other costs of litigation for indigent litigants, and can also appoint a lawyer and assign social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists to assist them and their children.
To determine whether someone is indigent, the court may consider their independent income, property, and ability to pay for a lawyer. The court may also consider whether the person is from a marginalized group or entity.
In March, the House Committee on Population and Family Relations approved a bill that would allow couples to get divorced, providing an alternative way for the dissolution of marriage.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 19, 2023
