House transmits approved divorce bill to Senate

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has transmitted House Bill No. 9349 or the approved bill for absolute divorce to the Senate.

In a statement on Wednesday, the bill's principal author, Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District), confirmed the transmittal of the bill, which was approved by the House on May 22.

"The absolute divorce bill under House Bill No. 9349, entitled ‘An Act Reinstituting Absolute Divorce as an Alternative Mode for the Dissolution of Marriage’, which was approved on third and final reading 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’s statement reads.

Lagman stated that the transmittal adhered to his request for the immediate forwarding of the approved bill to the Senate, in line with the House's unanimous approval.

"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 said.

On May 29, Lagman revealed that the Office of the Secretary General had deferred the transmittal of the bill to the upper chamber as the plenary needed to correct the affirmative votes from 126 to 131.

The divorce bill approved by the House explicitly lists marital infidelity and domestic violence as valid grounds for divorce.

It also includes all the grounds for legal separation, annulment, and declaration of nullity of marriage under the Family Code.