[This is a follow-up about the controversial women’s group party-list proposal which we posted over the weekend.]
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(via the Philippine News Agency) Several lawmakers on Tuesday expressed disapproval on a proposal that would mandate a 10-year limit on the validity of marriage contract.
Women’s party list group Isa-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA), which is gunning for a seat in the May party-list elections in May, plans to put forth a measure requiring couples to renew marriage every 10 years so that it would not be voided.
Speaker Prospero Nograles said he was not in favor of the proposal as it was against his Catholic beliefs.
Nueva Ecija Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson also junked the proposal, saying couples who want to get out of the marriage can resort to annulment.
“Okay na yung legal or de facto separation and civil annulment of marriages ngayon,” he said.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, a pastor, said making marriage renewable reduces it to a “mere legal contract” instead of a relationship.
“What is happening to our values? That’s what happens when people don’t believe in absolutes anymore,” he said.
Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon said the proposed marriage contract expiration should be opposed “because it will endanger the integrity of the ties that bind Philippine Society.”
“The Filipino family is acknowledged as the basic unit of society and it cannot be denied that marriage is the foundation of most Filipino families. Marriage and families cannot be treated separately and impose policies on one and not consider the other,” he said.
Biazon said the Philippine Constitution guarantees the protection of the family’s integrity and states that marriage is an inviolable social institution.
“The non-expiring marriage contract is not a violation of any human right because entering into a marriage is an option where those engaging in it are well aware of the terms,” he said.
“To give marriage an expiration is also to give families an expiration. It will be dangerous to open Philippine Society to the mindset that marriages and families have a pre-determined end,” he said.
While proponents may argue that the contract is renewable, Biazon said, “the fact that when you enter into marriage you already know it will expire at a certain date, it already affects the way society will look at marital unions.”
“While I will fight for the rights of women, I put more premium in protecting the integrity of the Filipino Family. I will oppose marriage contract expiration,” he said.
On the other hand, Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said the sanctity of marriage “should not be treated as merely a contract that has an expiry date.”
“We should respect the vows that the couple have exchanged and not give a deadline to it. This proposal bastardizes not only the sanctity of marriage but as well as the Constitution which dictates that marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman. This only obscures the inviolability of the family system which is only built upon by marriage,” he said. (by Lilibeth G. Ison / PNA)
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related news article:
January 13th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
gosh can’t imagine something like this will happen. this party list will never get my vote! marriage should be forever! kung ayaw nyo na, go file an annulment. wag na sana idamay yung gustong magsama for the rest of their lives. what about the tax code? after 10 yrs, single ka na ulit? dah.
January 14th, 2010 at 9:53 am
I agree with this proposal.Make it happen.Its hard to get out to the relationship that is already no direction and even if theres annulment still the process is matagal and magasto unlike if may expiration well i think marami ang matutuwa…well this is only my view.And i hope the lawmakers will review about this.Goodluck!
January 21st, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Those who wants an expiration on their contract shouldn’t even think about getting married. They always look for the easy way out when things are already getting out of hand (though not included here are situations of abuse) instead of making it work.
Annulment should be the last resort, not the first choice.
January 23rd, 2010 at 4:42 pm
i have the hardest time to find supporting facts in order for me to defend the affirmative side that we got in our inter-collegiate debate this Feb.
well, i believe that this resolution just want to address the present situation that numerous Filipino’s are facing. Let us accept the fact that we should embrace changes. If we are going to compare this resolution with the divorce; I think this is the option that will give those POOR people who want to acquire (expensive)divorce the chance to put an end in their relationship thinking that this is the best possible solution.
January 25th, 2010 at 11:16 am
duh???anung klaseng pag iisip para gawing proposal ang marriege expiration. .it said in the bible that thou shall not commit adultery but why they proposed this resolution???it is against the law of God…and degrading human rights…especially to those married couples…they vowed in the holy sacrament to be with each other for ever..in short till death do us part…
January 26th, 2010 at 12:09 am
In favor ako sa Marriage Contract Renewal. Siguro, kung madali lang ang magpa-annul, sangkaterbang Pinoy na ang nagpa-annul. Ayaw magpa-annul, pero kung kani-kanino naman kumakabit. Di ba masyado naman tayong hypocrites just to prove to other races na intact ang values natin? Ang dami-daming victims ng domestic violence at infidelity and this bill shall help those needy people who are already in danger. Kung mahal talaga ng dalawang tao ang isa’t isa, kahit 1 month renewable pa yan, hindi uubra ang ganung mga bills sa totoong nagmamahalang tao.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:06 am
Sana maisip ng mga Law schools na gawin tong subject of debate. Masaya to. Kung ako, agree ako dito. Ang batas dapat para sa lahat, di lang sa mga mayayaman na kayang gumastons ng daan daang libo para magpa annul. Magpakatotoo kayo, puro kayo mga plastic, sinasabi nyo sacred ang kasal pero kabikabila naman ang nambababae na married men at nanlalalake na married women.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
sino may contact no sa 1abba partylist pls???
February 11th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Just imagine getting married and both of you would say “in sickness and in health, ’til marriage expiration do us part”. okay, that makes sense! you know the bottom line for all this, if our country is wealthy and the people have higher living standards we will not dwell on this quick-fix solution. If we consider the poor, why not aim to resolve this issue instead of focusing on just marriage? we still have a pile of problems like education and health care. If everybody helps everybody then all of this issues can be resolved. It’s not an easy process but let’s take it one step at a time. That - is the ultimate solution.
February 21st, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Sabi nila, sangkaterbang pinoy ang nagpapa-annul, ayaw magpa-annul pero kung kani-kanino daw kumakabit. Kaya in favor daw sya sa proposition. Duuhhh???? Bakit??? siguro yung taong nagsabi nun eh maraming kabit. Kaya gusto nya magkaroon ng expiration ang marriage. HOY!!! wag mong gawing dahilan ang mga MAHIHIRAP! kung talagang gusto nyo ng maayos na relationship, bakit hindi nyo muna pag-isipan ng mabuti bago magpakasal?
masyado daw tayong hypocrites just to prove to other races na intact ang values natin??
Ehhemm!!! hypocrites ba kamo? kelangan ba nating magsinungaling sa ibang races para lang mapatunayan na maganda ang values natin? Halleerr!!!! Edi mas malaking HYPOCRISY ang gagawin mo sa Panginoon kung lalabag ka sa mga batas nya!!!
So ano mga people??? Sasang-ayon pa ba kayo sa proposition na yan??? Mag-isip kayo… Na-propose lang yan para magpapansin!!! ELEKSYON nga diba??? kaya napakadaming NAGPAPAPANSIN!!!
Peace on Earth..
March 1st, 2010 at 1:06 pm
sang ayon ako sa bill AND SAYA SAYA, MATAPOS MAGPAKASAL, PAKASAL NA NAMAN ULIT,,,,, YEHEY, YEVA!!!!PARAMIHAN TAYO NG BOTO!!!!
March 1st, 2010 at 1:08 pm
MARRIAGE IS NOT A MERE CONTRACT, IT IS COVENANT!!!
ITS A SACRED!!!!
March 5th, 2010 at 8:50 am
I pity those people who even thought of considering this bill. What do you think of Marriage? a reason for you to use your lover’s last name? Reason to have someone prepare your breakfast?
If you consider this bill, please do your God a favor and DO NOT GET MARRIED!!!
or if you don’t have a God, do yourselves a favor, save yourself from spending money for the wedding!
March 8th, 2010 at 3:12 am
” …till marriage expiration do us part…”
March 8th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
I believe that this is done by the partylist group just for publicity’s sake. good or bad comments, the bill proposition still served it’s purpose of getting them into the spotlight.
now, assuming for the sake of argument that this is indeed a serious proposition, i strongly disagree on this for several reasons.
1. rationale - marriage contract is not like a professional license that you can put an expiry on simply because of the probability that a married couple MIGHT have an unhappy union and will eventually want to separate. prof licenses are renewable because these professions, like CPAs and doctors, impact society. whereas with marriage, whatever disagreements the couple may have is strictly a DOMESTIC issue. so where’s the rationale?
2. mechanism - what would be the criteria for married people to renew their contract? will it be like the professional licenses that they attend seminars, and will the couple attend various governemtn funded seminars accumulating a certain number of hours before they can effectively renew the contract?
3. impact on the children - what happens to the children when the parents have decided to let the marriage expire? who has custody now? whose last name will the children use?are they now illegitimate kids? how about the inheritance, should one or both parents die?
See people, this bill is just plain absurd. setting aside the values angle, it still does not make sense, and does not provide good to the majority. you have a problem with your husband hurting you, file for a criminal charge! you have an issue about your mate being unfaithful, go for legal separation or even for adultery/concubinage! but for goodness sake, DO NOT GET A LEGISLATION OUT THAT WILL IMPACT THE WHOLE FAMILY.
September 9th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
this is not a junk. we are given the chance to be happy after all.
October 13th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
i don’t kno0w all i want is to gathered more information about these problem maybe.some one help me for we have a debate in school and these is our topic and this serve us a big challenge because as a group we agree in t6hese matter.can you give me and a strong info about these wee need your help.just send your message at my face book at caballete_ton@yahoo.com or contact me at 09303343900.
November 9th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
i dont agrreeeeee.!! OKAY ..
September 25th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
oh come on…