Actresses Anne Curtis and Maxene Magalona have publicly supported the proposal to legalize divorce in the Philippines, following the House of Representatives’ recent approval of the bill on its final reading. The issue is now being debated in the Senate.
Anne Curtis, married to Filipino-French restaurateur Erwan Heussaff, expressed her stance on social media, emphasizing the need for the Philippines to pass the divorce law. On X, she commented on an INQUIRER.net post about a Senate survey conducted by Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, which revealed that many male senators, including Estrada, Senate President Francis Escudero, and Senators Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva, and Ronald dela Rosa, voted against the bill. In contrast, Senators Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, and Robin Padilla supported it. Curtis highlighted this gender disparity by noting, “Puro lalake ung nag no [laughing emoji].”
On May 23, Curtis agreed with Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman’s statement that the divorce law would not destroy marriages. She reiterated the unique position of the Philippines, which, along with Vatican City, is one of the only places without divorce due to its strong Catholic influence.
Maxene Magalona also voiced her support, particularly for those in abusive relationships. Sharing her thoughts on social media, she said, “I am writing this to show my support and empathy for all of the Filipinos who feel trapped in toxic marriages and can’t find a way out—especially the ones who are experiencing abuse on a daily basis.” Magalona argued that being forced to stay in harmful relationships erodes self-worth and that divorce helps maintain the sanctity of marriage by dissolving toxic unions.
Magalona, who separated from her husband Rob Mananquil in 2022, stressed that marriage does not always guarantee a successful outcome as people change over time. She noted, “When people get married, they do it by taking a risk. We don’t get married with a guarantee that the relationship will truly work.”
The House approved the Absolute Divorce Act, or House Bill 9349, on May 22, with 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions. However, as of May 29, the bill is facing a delayed transmittal to the Senate.