NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
s. No. ^5
Senate
'O^icp of tt}C
72 J113 P5:22
RECEIVE© Br\':
Introduced by Senator PIAS. CAYETANO
AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE CIVIL EFFECTS OF CHURCH ANNULMENT DECREE
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines 
recognizes marriages solemnized in accordance with the laws of the Church as valid, 
taking into consideration that the right to contract marriage is a religious right and is 
an exercise of religious freedom. It, thus, follows that such marriage, if invalidated or 
annulled under the laws of the Church, should also be recognized as such by the State.
In fact, the civil effects of an annulment or dissolution of marriage under 
religious laws are already recognized albeit in a limited capacity. Under Presidential 
Decree 1083, or the Code of Muslim Personal Laws, which has integrated aspects of 
Shari'a Law into our laws, the State recognizes marriages and divorces or dissolution 
of marriages in accordance with the Muslim Law. The enactment of this bill shall 
provide equality in the eyes of the law for marriages that are celebrated or annulled 
under other religious laws.
This proposed measure is based on the original bills filed by former 
Representative Gwendolyn Garcia and Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez in the 
17th Congress. This bill seeks to recognize the civil effects of church annulment 
decrees. It likewise provides for the determination of the legal status of children of 
the spouse who have acquired church annulment decrees; mode of liquidation.


partition, and distribution of their properties; and the mode of delivery of the 
presumptive legitime.
In view of the foregoing, the swift passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
PIA S. CAYE^^NO/riO.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. NO. 555
Senate
HL 13 P5 *22
Introduced by Senator PIA S. CAYETANO
AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE CIVIL EFFECTS OF CHURCH ANNULMENT DECREE
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Church Annulment
2 
Recognition Act"
3 
Sec. 2. Effect of Church Decree. - Whenever a marriage, duly and legally
4 
solemnized by a priest, minister, rabbi or presiding elder of any church or religious
5 
sect in the Philippines is subsequently annulled, dissolved or declared a nullity in a
6 
final judgment or decree in accordance with the canons or prece pts of the church or
7 
religious sect, the said annulment, dissolution or declaration of nullity shall have the
8 
same effect as a decree of annulment, dissolution or declaration of nullity issued by a
9 
competent court.
10 
Sec. 3. Status of Children. - The status of children of marriages subject of the
11 
church annulment decree shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of
12 
Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the "Family Code of the Philippines". In
13 
case the ground for the church annulment decree is not similar to any of the grounds
14 
provided in the Family Code of the Philippines, their common children born or
15 
conceived before Ihe issuance of the church annulment decree siall be agreed upon
16 
by the spouses, and embodied in a public document. In case no agreement is met,
17 
the provisions of the Family Code of the Philippines shall be in force.
18 
Sec. 4. Property Relations, Custody and Support of Children, and Legitimes. -
19 
The liquidation, partition and distribution of the properties of the s pouses, the custody


1 
and support of the common children, and the delivery of their presumptive legitimes
2 
shall be agreed upon by the spouses, and em.bodied in c public document. In case no
3 
agreement is met, the provisions of the Family Code of the Philippines shall be in force.
4 
Sec. 5. Recording in Civil Registry. - The church annulment decree shall be
5 
recorded in the appropriate civil registries together with the agreement of the spouses
6 
required in the preceding section within thiity (30) days from the issuance of the
7 
church annulment decree, subject to the conditions that may be imposed by the
8 
church or religious sect.
9 
Sec. 6. Subsequent Marriage. - Without prejudice to the conditions set forth by
10 
the church or religious sect, either of the former spouses may marry again after
11 
complying with the requirements of the preceding paragraph and Article 52 of the
12 
Family Code of the Philippines; otherwise, the subsequent marriage shall be null and
13 
void.
14 
In securing a marriage license, the spouse involved must present a certified
15 
true copy of the church annulment decree registered with the appropriate civil registry.
16 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held
17 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected shall
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continue to remain in full force and effect.
19 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
20 
regulation or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act
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are deemed amended, repealed or modified accordingly.
22 
Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
23 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of genera! circulation.
Approved,