The House of Representatives has approved House Bill 9349, known as the Absolute Divorce Bill, on its third and final reading. The bill, titled “An Act Reinstituting Absolute Divorce as an Alternative Mode for the Dissolution of Marriage,” has been sent to the Senate, as confirmed by Albay lawmaker Edcel Lagman.
In a statement, Lagman explained, “The absolute divorce bill under House Bill No. 9349, which was approved on May 22, 2024, by the House of Representatives, was finally transmitted to the Senate as contained in a letter dated June 10, 2024, from House Secretary General Reginald S. Velasco to Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ G. Escudero.”
Lagman, who authored the bill, noted that the prompt transmittal followed his request in a letter dated May 28, urging Velasco to send the approved bill to the Senate immediately, in accordance with the unanimous directive of the House.
“This means that the transmittal to the Senate will not wait for the plenary action of the House when the sessions start on July 22, 2024, as previously announced by Velasco,” Lagman added.
The House-approved Divorce Bill introduces provisions for marital infidelity and domestic violence as grounds for divorce, expanding beyond the current Family Code. Additionally, the bill incorporates all the grounds for legal separation, annulment, and declaration of nullity of marriage under the existing Family Code. However, it does not provide for no-fault divorce.
Despite its approval in the House, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada previously stated that the divorce bill is not a priority for the Senate. “Uunahin namin ‘yung mga priority bills. ‘Yung divorce bill naman kahit may divorce bill o walang divorce bill, hindi makakatulong sa kumakalam na tiyan ‘yan,” Estrada remarked.
