:: Marriage with expiration dates ::

[SmaRkieS]

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Why marriages need expiration dates

In a predominantly Catholic country where divorce is not an option and annulments are harder to get than an emergency root canal at midnight, marriage is serious business. So serious that even husbands and wives who clearly shouldn’t be together are told to grin and bear it for the sake of their children, their neighbors, and even their pets. It’s 2010, but when it comes to matters of the heart, most Pinoys still seem to be stuck in the 1950s.

Love actually

Then again, most couples just stay together on paper because it costs too much to break up legally. Love (or the lack thereof) ceases to become a factor. It’s more like the dread of red tape and the lack of funds that helps them stick to their “till death do us part" vow—even if they want to kill each other.

Still, the proposal of the women’s party list group 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA) to place expiration dates on marriage contracts raised a ruckus. The controversial proposition was brought to light at the Daungan ng Balita news forum held at the Danarra Hotel in Quezon City last Thursday, January 7, 2009.

The group’s main advocacy is “to help women become economically empowered by helping them become entrepreneurs giving them better employment, providing sources of livelihood, access to capital, and other ways to make women financially independent." However, among the issues they discussed at the forum, it was the subject of the marriage contract expiration that grabbed the most attention.

In particular, 1-ABAA, which represents separated and abandoned women, proposed the enactment of a law that would mandate a 10-year limit on the validity of a marriage contract. Its purpose is “to spare incompatible couples the expense of lengthy legal proceedings before their marriages are annulled."

Rules of engagement

When you think about it, what the group wants isn’t really that outrageous.

After all, the marriage license, which the couple obtains before they can get married, has a “built-in" expiration date. Article 20 of the Family Code of the Philippines stipulates that a marriage license is only valid “for a period of one hundred twenty days from the date of issue" and is deemed automatically canceled if the contracting parties have not made use of it by the end of the mandated period.

So it’s really not a stretch to consider incorporating the same sort of scheme. As 1-ABAA president Margie Tajon put it, “[A marriage contract] should be just like a passport or driver’s license. If we are not interested to renew it, then it expires." This, of course, seems like a pragmatic solution to toxic unions. These days, as Tajon pointed out, “Those who can’t afford an annulment just suffer forever."

Bottom line: 1-ABAA wants to amend the Family Code so that marriage will no longer be treated as a special contract. To date, the marriage contract is defined by the Family Code as "a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life."

When it comes to the legal definition of marriage in the Philippines, you have to pay attention to two crucial words: "special" and "permanent." It is "special" because, unlike in other types of contracts, the parties involved cannot stipulate on whatever pleases them. The word, "permanent," is self-explanatory. As such, a Pinoy marriage is pretty much built to last—at least in legal terms.

Good buzz

Initial reactions to 1-ABAA’s proposal have been “one hundred percent positive." “’Yung mga hindi members [ng party-list), gusto maging members. This is the subject they’ve always wanted to voice out," disclosed Tajon.

That said, it should be emphasized that the group’s members and supporters aren’t limited to abandoned and separated women. They include men and many happily married women. In fact, 1-ABAA’s secretary-general and legal counsel Eloisa Del Prado Bayani is a happily married lawyer who handles annulment cases.

According to Tajon, Bayani supports the proposal even if it means there would be fewer clients for her if the law is amended. It’s because, Tajon explained, Bayani knows how much trouble it takes to obtain an annulment.

Tajon went on to say that their sought-after amendment to the Family Code would also benefit couples who still want to stay together. Perhaps, Tajon is thinking that a married man or woman would make more of an effort to keep their marriage strong if they want their spouse to renew the contract. If you put it that way, then the 1-ABAA proposal seems to be a brilliant idea to prevent couples from taking each other for granted.

Indeed, they have not yet met opposition. Not that there won't be any.

Divine intervention

It goes without saying that the Catholic Church would be at the forefront of parties opposing the 1-ABAA proposal. "Bago namin napag-isipan yan, alam na naming na Church ang number one [na mag-po-protesta]," stated Tajon.

Though the Philippine Constitution mandates the separation of Church and State, the Church’s pronouncements still hold sway over many Filipinos. The 1-ABAA proposal, by the way, would not affect Muslim marriages, since they’re already allowed to divorce and governed by the stipulations of the Islamic religion.

Honeymoon period

With the positive reception of its proposal, the 1-ABAA appears to be enjoying the honeymoon phase at the moment. But honeymoons. of course, inevitably end.

Asked about the chances of the 1-ABAA proposal, debate teacher and communications scholar Allan Roño told GMANews.TV: “This has been a topic of debate for many years now. It will take a major revision in the Family Code…and there has to be some sort of protection clause for the kids."

Roño has raised a very good point. While the proposal may be a boon for troubled marriages, it doesn’t factor in the children. Aside from, perhaps, not having to put up with their mothers and fathers spats, it remains to be seen whether the kids from the said unions will stand to gain anything from the dissolution of their parents’ conjugal bond.

For now, the 1-ABAA proposal, much like one for marriage, still needs some concrete answers before it can move forward. Because breakups, like emergency root canals, are always painful and complicated any which way you see it. -FVI, GMANews.TV

[Tirong-say]

Unya kadtong hapily wed couple kung mo-expire na ilang marriage pakasal na pud sila ug usab, kalas man ni sa litson uy...............he-he,
Bitaw, there should be a deep study and surveys, then sabot-sabotan, pero para nako, angayan gyud unta lifetime na gyud ang marriage, ayohon lang gyud unta ug pili ang himoon nga kapikas........

[maitoots]

Why marriages need expiration dates

In a predominantly Catholic country where divorce is not an option and annulments are harder to get than an emergency root canal at midnight, marriage is serious business. So serious that even husbands and wives who clearly shouldn’t be together are told to grin and bear it for the sake of their children, their neighbors, and even their pets. It’s 2010, but when it comes to matters of the heart, most Pinoys still seem to be stuck in the 1950s.

Love actually

Then again, most couples just stay together on paper because it costs too much to break up legally. Love (or the lack thereof) ceases to become a factor. It’s more like the dread of red tape and the lack of funds that helps them stick to their “till death do us part" vow—even if they want to kill each other.
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^^ Now this is what I call reality
i guess there really is nothing wrong in renewing marriage lisence.. murag honeymoon stage every renewal

[Blackjellybean27]

aw go jud ko go ani.
it could be considered immoral to some people, but i need this.
annulment is way too expensive, and i'm thinking about the 200 thou plus that i have to spend in order to annul my marriage. sayang, dghan pa pwd ko mapalit sa kids ko for the 200k that i'm going to use on an annulment. sigh!
but then again, it's human nature to abuse something that's created for the good in the first place. i'm sure dghan jud ni magsalig na: "oi, lets get married. kng d na kaya, k ma expire lang baya ang marriage nato..." tsk!
no way out... sigh!

[netcommando]

marriage is not meant to like what u want. some people ganahn lng jud mutuis due to their failed marriages. actually naa may provision sa Bible if ang marriages di mo work. maybe we have to check it basin pud kuwang basa ba. dusty Bibles leads to messy life...

[Blackjellybean27]

marriage is not meant to like what u want. some people ganahn lng jud mutuis due to their failed marriages. actually naa may provision sa Bible if ang marriages di mo work. maybe we have to check it basin pud kuwang basa ba. dusty Bibles leads to messy life...

OT:
my life stopped being messy when i stopped reading the bible. LOL.
meant to be a joke, but it's actually half joking.
no offense meant to hard core devotees okay.

if you have time bro, pls post what the bible has to say. i just wanna know.

[m_a_r_k_u_z]

ambot lng og mopasar ba ni

[Maikeru]

OT: I think this thread exists in politics section.

TOPIC:
1st nako maThink is, mura ni og pangwarta napud. Cge gud renew, so magSige pud og bayad para ana? Anywa, set that aside.

Somewhat, IMO I find this an encouragement nga magLainlain og bana/asawa nga mangabit. Though it is safe to say nga we don't know unsa jud ang mahitabo in the future kung maApprobahan ni, pero, sa batasan sa mga tao? Dili lau nga mas mudaghan ang mga broken family tungod ani.

Mao na kung magMinyo man gai, magHunahuna og maau. TanAwn nimo imong kaugalingon, tanAwn nimo imong partner. We need to DISCERN before we get into a married life. Karon gud, sayonsayonon raman gud ni nato ang minyo. Bisag wala pa naandman magminyo. We often overlook that marriage is a big responsibility and commitment that we need to DISCERN before we get in to a lifelong contract. This move is just a way to escape from the responsibilities and commitment placed after marriage. We have annulment and I think that is enough solution kung nasaup man jud og pili og bana/asawa. Tinood kuti ang process(I heard lang hap) and mahal ang gasto ani, but I think it is reasonable kay priceless man pud ang bukOn ani, breaking a family nagud ang giistoryahan ani.

Kung maAprobahan ni, musaka ang rate sa mga broken families, maEncourage ang mga tao nga mangirida/mangabit. Ang magSuffer ang mga anak. Unsa nalang kaha a2ng future ana noh? Imagine, for season1 Talpolano imo papa pagSeason2 c Goryo na imong papa. Do you even think nindot na? No matter how you put it, people will always abuse something, it is seen in history and it is seen nowadays. So IMO, this move will bring no good in the future.

Family is the smallest unit of the community, and a community is not a community without it. if this unit breaks easily after a span of time, what will become of our community? Will it also break in a span of time, since it's foundation(family) do so too?

[xxxancientxxx]

para nako mas maau ni!!! naa baya jud couples nga wa na klaro unya uban2 nalng kay tungod lifetime ang kasal! nya pait pd tawn f magkuyog ghapon cla unya wala nay gugma!!!
bwt sa renewing a marriage! angay ani free nlang unta! igo nlang muadto kung asa ang department ani unya igo nlang mu pirma ang both sides nga iparenew cla! free nalng unta or bsan hundred ba ron! para dli sakit sa bulsa!

[chrisgon]

had dis email pod. it was circulating in our office. it's kinda funny pero what if kaha noh?? i mean will it be ok for this to happen


Women's group wants expiry date on marriage
By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star) Updated January 08, 2010 12:00 AM






MANILA, Philippines - A party-list group representing separated and abandoned women proposed yesterday the enactment of a law that will mandate a 10-year marriage validity to spare incompatible couples the expense of lengthy legal proceedings before their marriages are annulled.

The women’s party-list group 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA) said that marriage licenses should be similar to passports that could be renewed, but marriage licenses should have an expiration period of at least 10 years. Failure to renew the license would automatically render the marriage null and void.

“By putting a prescription period on the marriage license, the couple will be spared from the legal process that is clogging our courts of law,” Margie Tajon, president of 1-ABAA, told reporters during the Daungan ng Balita news forum held at the Danarra Hotel in Quezon City.

Tajon said the group expects strong opposition from the Catholic Church and other groups on the proposed measure but they will fight for the passage of the law in Congress for the benefit of abandoned and separated women who are forced to raise their family alone because they have no right and freedom to look for new partners.

“A marriage license should be just like a passport or driver’s license. If we are not interested to renew it, then it expires,” she said.