MANILA, Philippines – Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman expressed confidence on Tuesday, February 13, that a measure that would introduce divorce in the Philippines will reach the committee level “by next week.”

Over the past weeks, the House committee on population and family relations has been deliberating bills that would give married couples the option to separate through divorce. (WATCH: House hearing on divorce)

In the world, only the Philippines and Vatican City have no divorce laws. Philippine couples who want to split only have annulment as an option.

Lagman heads the technical working group that is consolidating the position papers of various groups – from pro-divorce organizations, religious groups, and even the Church – to come up with a refined version of the measures.

The committee will then come up and eventually approve a consolidated version of the measure which will then be presented before the plenary.

Currently, the versions being tackled includes abuse, abandonment, and irreconcilable differences as bases for divorce. 

Lagman noted that the move to make divorce legal in the Philippines is supported by politicians from different political affiliations.

Lawmakers are working on a divorce bill that would make the process cheaper and easier for Filipinos. An annulment in the Philippines can cost upwards of P250,000, according to resource persons during the hearing.

Lagman was also a champion of the controversial Reproductive Health bill, which was the subject of intense lobbying by conservative groups, including the Catholic Church.

The RH Bill eventually passed both chambers of Congress. Its implementation, however, was just as difficult as it was questioned before the Supreme Court. – Rappler.com