Bill seeks strict requirements for foreigners marrying Pinays

MANILA, Philippines - In view of protecting Filipino women from exploitation, the House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure providing for additional requirements for male foreigners who want to marry them.

The House Committee on Revision of Laws, chaired by Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, sponsored for plenary approval House Bill 4828, which substituted HB 2387 authored by Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia.

“The bill shall protect Filipino women against exploitation of foreigners who marry without evident means to support a family,” Primicias-Agabas said.

Garcia said some of the foreigners coming to the country to marry Filipino women are vagabonds or social and moral derelicts in their own country.

“The real motive for marriage is only to take advantage and exploit our women by making them work for the family and worse, by sending them to prostitution and other degrading and dehumanizing occupations,” she said.

“The exploitation of our Filipino women, through the so-called mail-order or pen-pal, Facebook, website made, and other internet made marriages, has not only caused untold miseries and suffering to our Filipino women but it has also brought dishonor and disgrace to the Filipino womanhood,” Garcia added.

Under the measure, the prospective foreign husband shall provide a certificate of good moral character and a certificate that he has a gainful trade, business, employment or other lawful source of income to be issued by his country’s diplomatic or consular official, in addition to the usual certificate of legal capacity.

The measure amends Article 21 of Executive Order 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines.

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