The Philippines is a republic in which the president is the head of state, prime minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The current president of the Philippines, Marcos, won the 2022 election thanks to a promise to legalize divorce.
This Catholic archipelago is the only country in the world – along with the Vatican – to ban the practice. But two years after his election, that campaign promise has yet to be fulfilled.
A bill has been introduced in parliament that must be passed by 2025. Its passage would be tantamount to revolution in this ultra-conservative country, where the Catholic Church still holds great influence.
The country’s bicameral Congress includes a senate (the so-called upper house, whose members are elected at the national level) and the house of representatives (the so-called lower house, whose members are elected by districts). 24 senators are elected for a term of 6 years, with half being replaced every 3 years. 250 representatives from the House of Representatives are elected for a three-year term.
For tens of thousands of couples looking to separate, the promise of legalization is a source of great hope. Until now, the only solution for them is to get a “marriage annulment,” a procedure that can take several years and sometimes cost more than $10,000.
Women who have been physically and mentally abused will finally be able to officially separate from their abusive husbands. “For some of them, this is a real liberation,” says a report by “France24”.
Illustrative Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-and-black-pants-4098230/
