How many people take divorce for granted around the world? I assume that most people reading this have themselves gone through a divorce and have emerged through the other side ready to start a new relationship and to kick start life again. Imaging if you guys could not divorce the ex? Imagine being stuck physically, emotionally and physiologically for the rest of your life.
In the Philippines family is vital and essential to keeping everything working. The family is the glue, the law, the moral compass and the punisher. The family have so much control that it is hard for the westerns to understand.
But, if a marriage goes bad in the Philippines life can be very complicated. Most believe that there is no divorce in the Philippines, and most couples have to tolerate a life of being stuck in a loveless or even violent relationship. Imagine that?
The reasons for no divorce in the Philippines, is down mainly to history and the requirement to ensure the family remains bonded-always. It is strange in the modern world that divorce is not allowed, but more importantly it is hard on the children and families involved who are also stuck in the middle of such a marriage that should have been ended.
There is annulment-but this is so very costly and takes many years. This is also a route that can make the existing children bastards, as an annulment assumes the wedding should have never taken place.
For the Muslim communities in the Philippines there is a divorce system and it works very successfully and part of the grounds for divorce are to ensure no violence against the women.
brian mcdonald says
September 15, 2013 at 8:01 amso why are muslims allowed to divorce in the philippines and not the catholics ?surely the law is the law but as usual nobody will challenge the muslim way of life because of the fear of being called a racist .
Paul says
September 19, 2013 at 4:36 amMr Brian McDonald the laws of the Philippines are their laws and nothing you might question will be of any interest to the lawmakers or other appropriate authorities.
In fact if you were living here in the Philippines and made those statements you might be arrested and eventually deported as it is unlawful for foreigners to publicly criticize anything in the Philippines.
That is contrary to the rules of Australia or New Zealand or a host of other countries where Filipinos migrate to.
Divorce is allowed under PD1083 and is part of the Muslim Code of Personal Laws. We facilitate Divorces every month using this aspect of the law. See more at http://www.divorceinthephilippines.com