The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has clarified that the Philippines still has no law allowing divorce in the Philippines after a video was uploaded on social media about the measure being approved already.

Through its fact-checking arm, "Maging Mapanuri," the PCO said on Wednesday, Jan. 15, that the video's content was "not true."

"Ang kumakalat na balita tungkol sa 'naaprubahang diborsyo' sa Pilipinas ay hindi totoo (The viral video about the 'approved divorce' in the Philippines in not true)," it said.

"Ang House Bill 9349 o ang Divorce Bill ay kasalukuyang nasa proseso pa rin ng pagsusuri at hindi pa naisabatas (The Divorce Bill is still in the process of being studied and is not yet enacted)," it added.

The PCO then urged Filipinos online to be vigilant about the information they come across on social media.

"Suriin ang mga impormasyong nababasa at tumulong mapigilan ang pagkalat ng maling balita (Analyze the information you are reading and help stop the spread of false information)," it said.

The video was posted on TikTok on Jan. 7 by user @teachershine. It has been shared over 70,000 times, bookmarked by almost 22,000 users, and has over 213,000 likes.

The post claimed that divorce has been legalized in the country. The video was a clip of a House session on May 22, 2024, when the device bill was passed in the plenary.

"Finally approved na ang DIVORCE dito sa Pilipinas (Divorce is finally approved in the Philippines)," the text on the video read.

However, only the House of Representatives passed the divorce bill in the third reading in May last year. The counterpart bill in the Senate is still pending.

An approved bill by both houses of Congress would be submitted to the president for his signature. The bill becomes law when the president signs it or does not act on it within 30 days.