I believe even in the Philippines marriage by the church and marriage by the state are two completely different things. If the church allowed you to get divorced it won't make a d*mn bit if difference to the state (and vice versa).
I'm going on my second year in the annulment process. Now the Judge retired and we have to wait for a new Judge to be assigned. 6 month wait is no problem for me. I told my attorney, if this ever becomes law you better be the first one in line to file for me. Yes, it will be an uphill battle. I think the House will support it, but Sens. Sotto, Villar and Lacson will become the "fly in the soup". They are against it. Still as the only country on the planet that doesn't allow divorce maybe they will come to their senses. People unhappy in marriage just leave and find someone else anyway, so why not make it legal.
I know of two Filipinas (with children) deserted by their husbands many years ago who have recently come into large sums of money and regular payments because their husbands died young. So for some it may be better to stay married unless they have a new relationship. It would not be necessary to remain married IF the payments were directed to the children of the marriage and not any to the wife but as I don't enquire into private business I don't know if that was the case.
