Because divorce is illegal in the Philippines, dissolving a marriage is expensive and difficult. The process to have a marriage annulled can take up to a decade and cost several times more than the average annual salary—making it unobtainable for the nation’s poor. Lawmakers in the country have tried unsuccessfully to legalize divorce since 1999. A new proposed bill, put forth by a lawmaker politically aligned with President Duterte, has broad bipartisan support but is opposed by the Catholic Church. The President has not voiced an opinion.
Read more: Poor pay high price for divorce ban