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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
i\tl1ntl' 
{~{h';' "f IIt.j",'t"r~ 
First Regular Session 
) 
'14 
J~N 20 P 6 :23 
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SENAI.E 
S. B. NO; 
~072 
Rt:('EIVEIl HY;. f~ 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines, which came into 
effect on August 3, 1988, introduced refonns in Philippine law on family relations that, among others, 
advocated the inequality between men and women. 
Under the Family Code, women were not 
subservient to men, and became an equal partner in various family matters concerning, among others, 
the community property and parental authority. However, there remain provisions in the Family Code 
which unduly prejudices women. 
One such provision is Article 14 of the' Family Code. Article 14 provides that marital consent of the 
father to the marriage of a child between the age of eighteen (18) and twenty-one (21) is preferred 
over the consent of the mother, and states: 
"Art. 14. In case either or both of the contracting parties, not having 
been emancipated by a previous marriage, are between the ages of 
eighteen and twenty-one, they shall, in addition to the requirements 
of the preceding articles, exhibit to the local civil registrar, the 
consent to their marriage of their father, mother. surviving parent or 
guardian. or persons having legal charge of them, in the order 
mentioned. Such consent shall be manifested in writing by the 
interested party, who personally appears before the proper local civil 
registrar, or in the fonn of an affidavit made in the presence of two 
witnesses and attested before any official authorized by law to 
administer oaths. The personal manifestation shall be recorded in 
both applications for marriage license, and the affidavit, if one is 
executed instead, shall be attached to said applications." (Emphasis 
supplied.) 
There is no rational explanation for the preference for paternal marital consent over maternal marital 
consent. The Family Code itself recognizes that, save for certain instances, men and women, as 
regards their children, are partners of equal status and thus exercise joint parental authority. 
This bill proposes to eliminate vestige of gender insensitive provisions of the Family Code, and 
strengthen the equality of men and women, particularly in their family relations. 
In view, of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly recommended. 
Senator 


• 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'14 
JAN 20 P 6 :23 
SENATE 
S.B.NO. 2072 
RECEIVE/) 13Y:--f 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
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AN ACT STRENGTHENING GENDER EQUALITY BY AMENDING ARTICLE 14 OF 
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EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209, OTHERWI~E KN0WN AS THE FAMILY CODE OF THE 
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PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION L Article 14 of Executive Order No. 209, as amended, otherwise known as the Family 
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Code, is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
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"Art. 14. In case either or both of the contracting parties, not having been 
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emancipated by a previous marriage, are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-
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one, they shall, in addition to the require1l).ents of the preceding articles, exhibit to the 
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local civil registrar, the consent to their marriage of [their Jather, mether, surviviBg 
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jlaFefltl EITHER PARENT, fefj THE guardian, or persons having legal charge of 
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them, in the order mentioned. Such.consent shall be manifested in writing by the 
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interested party, whO personally appears before the proper local civil registrar, or in 
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the form of an affidavit made in the presence of two witnesses and attested before 
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any official authorized by law to administer oaths. The personal manifestation shall 
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be recorded in both applications for m~ITiage license, and the affidavit, if one is 
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executed instead, shall be attached to said applications." 
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SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other issuances, or 
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
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publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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