NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 2047
of tl)C
23 nRR29 P4 '•44
Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla
AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE CIVIL EFFECTS OF CHURCH DECREED ANNULMENT
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Family Code of the Philippines provides that marriage may be solemnized, 
among others, by any priest, rabbi, imam, or minister of any church or religious sect 
duly authorized by his church or religious sect and registered with the civil registrar 
general. Following this rule, it is only rational for the same church or religious sect to 
have the power to rule on its nullity, which ideally must take the same effect In the 
eyes of the State.
In the case of the Philippines, the only legal way to dissolve a marriage is 
through civil or court annulment, which is processed with designated family courts. 
Church annulment, on the other hand, is processed by the sect through a matrimonial 
tribunal based on the Canon Law. Its grounds, which are similar to civil or court 
annulments, include psychological incapacity, fraud, force or intimidation. Insanity, 
mental illness, lack of consent, among others. Despite such similarities, church or 
religious annulment is still not recognized by law, which renders problematic and 
discriminatory especially for those who are trapped in unhealthy, abusive, and 
miserable relationships.
It Is therefore the intention of this bill to legalize the civil effects of annulments 
filed before the church or religious sect In which the marriage was solemnized or in 
which either married partner is a member at the time of the request for the annulment 
or dissolution.


This bill likewise provides for the determination of the legal status of children 
whose parents have acquired Church annulment decrees, liquidation, partition and 
distribution of the properties of the spouses, recording in the appropriate civil
registries, and the right to subsequent marriage.
RC^NHOOD PADILLA
/ Senator


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 2047
fe’cnatc’
of tl'P
23 rm29 P 4 ‘44
RtCBVEDBY;
Introduced by Senator Robinhood Padilla
AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE CIVIL EFFECTS OF CHURCH DECREED ANNULMENT
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Church Decreed
2 
Annulment 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 or any person authorized to solemnize marriages in the Philippines, is
6 
subsequently annulled or dissolved in a final judgment or decree in accordance with
7 
the canons or precepts of the church or religious sect in which the marriage was
8 
solemnized or in which either married partner is a member at the time of the request
9 
for the annulment or dissolution, the said annulment or dissolution shall have the same
10 
effect as a decree of annulment or dissolution issued by a competent court.
11 
Sec. 3. Status of Children. — The status of children of marriages subject to the
12 
church annulment or dissolution decree shall be determined in accordance with the
13 
provisions of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the "Family Code of the
14 
Philippines". In case the ground for the church annulment or dissolution decree is not
15 
similar to any of the grounds provided in the Family Code of the Philippines, their
16 
common children born or conceived before the issuance of the church annulment
17 
decree shall be considered legitimate.


1 
Sec. 4. Property Relations, Custody and Support of Children, and Legitimes. —
2 
The liquidation, partition and distribution of the properties of the spouses, the custody
3 
and support of the common children, and the delivery of their presumptive legitimes
4 
shall be agreed upon by the spouses, and embodied in a public document. In case no
5 
agreement is met, the provisions of the Family Code of the Philippines shall be in force.
6 
Sec. 5. Recording in Civil Registry. — The church annulment decree shall be
7 
recorded in the appropriate civil registries together with the agreement of the spouses
8 
required in the preceding section within thirty (30) days from the issuance of the
9 
church annulment decree, subject to the conditions that may be imposed by the
10 
church or religious sect.
11 
Sec. 6. Subsequent Marriage. — Without prejudice to the conditions set forth
12 
by the church or religious sect, either of the former spouses may marry again after
13 
complying with the requirements of the preceding paragraph and Article 52 of the
14 
Family Code of the Philippines; otherwise, the subsequent marriage shall be null and
15 
void.
16 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
17 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall
18 
remain in force and effect.
19 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or Issuance, executive
20 
order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this
21 
Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
22 
Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
23 
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general
24 
circulation.
Approved,