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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House panel takes up bill allowing virtual marriages

House panel takes up bill allowing virtual marriages

Published Feb 9, 2021 01:42 pm

Couples may soon opt to tie the knot via videoconferencing as the bill that would allow it makes headway in the House of Representatives.

(UNSPLASH / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

The House Committee on Revision of Laws on Tuesday, February 9, started discussing House Bill No. 7042, which seeks to amend the Family Code of the Philippines, and permit the virtual presence of couples and their witnesses during a ceremony.

Kabayan Party List Representative Ron Salo, author of the bill, said it was high time for Congress to pass the proposed "Virtual Marriage Act" amid the prohibition on mass gatherings and social distancing measures. Some states in the US have already adopted this due to the persisting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

He also said the bill would be "perfectly-timed" for Valentine's Day.

"As they say, love knows no boundaries. And this pandemic should not be a reason for the postponement of marriages or even to just allow the couples to live as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage," Salo said.

During the hearing, lawyer and family law expert Katrina Legarda said she agrees with the proposal, but said lawmakers should ensure that weddings by proxy are avoided.

Lawyer Joms Asalan of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), on the other hand, raised the agency's reservation that the virtual marriage "will just constitute as void...the very essence of a marriage", especially if one of the contracting parties was intimidated to get married.

"The consent must be freely given in the presence of the solemnizing officer. Since in a virtual marriage, there is no way of ascertaining if the consent was really given by one of the contracting parties," said the CHR representative.

Quickly addressing the CHR's concern, Salo said several measures will be in place to ensure that partners are giving their consent to marriage willingly.

He said his bill will not remove the other formal requisites of marriage, such as seminars, valid licenses, among others.

The bill, he added, will also require that the couple be present and together in one place.

Salo also clarified that his proposal will not be imposed on any religion, belief or tradition. Couples, he said, still have the final say whether to get married physically or via videoconferencing.

"We will not force anyone to adopt videoconferencing as a mode of getting married. We are simply saying that we give our people an option...that the marriage of couples who chose to tie the knot via Zoom or any other video conferencing application will be considered valid," he explained.

"Thus giving the couples an alternative to the traditional conduct of ceremonies," he also said.

The House committee later created a technical working group to further discuss the bill, along with other measures seeking to amend the Family Code.

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