De Lima files bill to guarantee equal rights and protection for spouses

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila de Lima has filed a measure to guarantee equal rights and protection for both husbands and wives.

Senate Bill (SB) 1730 seeks to amend several articles in Executive Order (EO) 209, also known as the Family Code of the Philippines, as these provisions promote inequality between spouses, with preferential treatment given to the male.

“These provisions are deemed patriarchal and detrimental to establishing the status of married women as partners and equals in their own homes. Progressive amendments more apt with the current times are thus introduced in this bill,” De Lima said. 

SB 1730 seeks to amend Articles 12, 14, 124, 211, and 225 of the Family Code, which provides more power and control to men. 

Among the proposed revisions are amendments to exercising parental authority over common children in cases of disagreements between spouses. De Lima proposed that spouses shall at all times resort to the courts to decide cases. 

In cases of disagreement, guardianship over unempancipated children shall also be decided by the courts. 

“These provisions are not to be taken for granted knowing that the woman’s importance in nation-building starts from her role in the basic unit of society, the family,” De Lima said.

Provisions that favor the husband with regards to community property and conjugal partnership were also included among proposed revisions. 

SB 1730 proposed that husband or wife must first obtain a court order before carrying out acts of administration over community property and conjugal partnership. 

Requirements for couples aged between 18 to 21 years old who are planning to get married were also included in the bill’s proposed revisions.  – Rappler.com