Avelina Anuran, a Filipina fruit vendor turned activist, has become a symbol of the ongoing struggle to legalize divorce in the Philippines, one of only two countries in the world—alongside Vatican City—where divorce remains illegal. Anuran has publicly shared her harrowing story of enduring years of abuse at the hands of her estranged husband, holding onto a medical certificate documenting her injuries as potential evidence for a future legal battle. Despite her efforts, she remains trapped in a marriage she cannot legally end.
Anuran’s plight highlights the challenges faced by many Filipinos in a deeply Catholic society where divorce is prohibited. The only options for ending a marriage are annulment or nullification, both of which are costly and inaccessible for most. Annulment fees can reach up to $10,000, and the process does not recognize domestic violence, abandonment, or infidelity as valid grounds for separation. For Anuran, this means her estranged husband remains the beneficiary of her life insurance policy, a detail she cannot change without his consent.
Last week, hopes for change were dashed once again as the Philippine Senate ended its session without holding a hearing on a divorce bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill, which had been stalled for nearly a year, aimed to provide a legal pathway for divorce, including free legal and psychological assistance for low-income petitioners and a cap on lawyers’ fees. It also sought to ensure that divorce petitions would be resolved within a year.
Anuran, who testified during a similar Senate hearing in 2019, expressed her frustration but remains determined. “The bill has been sitting there for almost a year. They kept passing it around,” she said. “I just want to be free from this marriage. Hopefully, it will pass next year, with new senators coming in.”
Public support for divorce is growing, with surveys indicating that about half of Filipinos now back its legalization. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, has expressed openness to supporting divorce. However, the bill faced strong opposition in the Senate, where conservative lawmakers argued it would “create divisiveness” and suggested expanding the grounds for nullification instead.
The late Congressman Edcel Lagman, a longtime human rights lawyer who championed the bill, called its passage an “urgent” matter before his death earlier this year. Lawmaker Arlene Brosas, co-author of the bill, criticized the Senate’s inaction, calling it “unacceptable” given the strong public demand. She vowed to refile the bill when the newly elected Congress convenes in July.
Opponents, including the Catholic Church, argue that divorce contradicts religious teachings on marriage and could harm families. Father Jerome Secillano of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines warned that legalizing divorce would lead to more separations and potentially increase domestic violence.
Despite these challenges, Anuran and other advocates remain resolute. “No one’s backing down. Win or lose, the fight will continue,” she said. For Anuran and countless others, the battle for divorce legalization is not just about ending marriages—it’s about securing freedom, safety, and dignity.
