'Marriage itself, not marriage license, should be subject to expiration period'

MANILA, Philippines - A party-list group advocating women empowerment clarified yesterday that it is marriage itself and not the marriage license that should be subject to expiration period because under prevailing laws, a marriage license is only good for 120 days while marriage itself is a lifetime commitment unless annulled by the courts.

Margie Tajon, president of the women party-list 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA), said in a statement that their group is pushing the amendment of pertinent marriage laws to spare incompatible couples from lengthy and costly legal processes before their marriage is annulled.

Tajon was reacting to a story that appeared on The STAR’s front page last Jan. 8 regarding the proposal for a expiry date on marriage.

“We are referring to marriage itself, not the marriage license, which should be subject to an expiration period. Under prevailing laws, a marriage license really has a validity period of only 120 days from issuance, thus, it really has an expiration period like any other license,” she said.

Tajon also clarified that their group is not only representing abandoned and separated women but is also composed of women involved in livelihood and community projects and programs, women entrepreneurs and workers, whether full-time/part-time or temporary, skilled or otherwise, overseas workers, professionals and other advocates of economic empowerment for women.

“Also, we are not ‘waging war’ so to speak, with the Church as most of us are devout Catholics. However, dynamism is needed in our laws to adapt to the changing times and prevailing situations without necessarily putting aside values and traditions. Moreover, we still believe that indeed there should be separation of the State and Church that is why we do not wish to drag our religious institutions in this matter,” she said.

Tajon added that their group recognizes the importance of men in society and they do not intend to put a division among various genders.

Meantime, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)-Public Affairs Committee (PAC) chairman Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said that marriage is for life and cannot be renewed every 10 years.

“Marriage is for keeps and it has no expiry date,” Iñiguez said, adding that couples should be prepared for long-term commitments. – With Evelyn Macairan