1) Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring that a marriage is null and void. Unlike divorce, annulment is retroactive.

That means that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the very start as it had never ever taken place. It simply says that there was never a marriage. An annulment means that the individuals were never united as husband and wife. Annulment. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 16, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annulment Divorce, otherwise known as the dissolution of marriage, is the termination of a marital union. A married couple therefore cancels their legal responsibilities to each other by dissolving the bonds of matrimony. Around the world, the divorce law varies. Issues are involved such as alimony, child custody, distribution of property, and the like. In most countries that practice monogamy, after the divorce is finalized, one can have a new spouse. Divorce is a stressful process because it involves finances, living arrangements, household jobs, schedules and much more. If the couple has children during the marriage, they would tremendously be affected. The only country that doesnt have divorce is the Philippines. Also, the Vatican City is the only state which doesnt allow it as well. Divorce. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 16, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce Legal Separation is a legal process by which a married couple may formalize a de facto separation while remaining legally married. This is only granted in the form of a court order. In cases where there are children involved, a court order of legal separation makes temporary arrangements for the care, custody, and financial support of the children for the time being. The court order thus determines child custody. There are some couples that get a legal separation as an alternative for divorce because of the moral or religious objections that divorce brings about. Legal separation doesnt necessarily mean it will lead to divorce. It is possible that the couple may reconcile. If they dont, they can choose to file for divorce explicitly. Legal Separation. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 16, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_separation 2) Before you could file for divorce, you must be able to tell that there are good reasons on why you choose to end it. One of which is adultery which means that your spouse had sexual relations with a person of the opposite sex. Because of that, you can no longer bear to live with them. Note that you cant give adultery as a reason if you have lived with your husband or wife only 6 months after you found out about it. Another ground for divorce is unreasonable behavior which includes physical abuse, verbal abuse, drug-taking, drunkedness, and the like. Desertion can also be a reason for divorce. It means that your husband or wife has left you without

agreement and a good reason. You can only get a divorce if the husband and wife have stayed apart for 2 years. The couple should agree to this in writing. Also, living apart for more that 5 years is a good enough reason to file for divoce. Grounds for Divorce. (n.d.) UK Governemt. Retrieved on August 16, 2013 from https://www.gov.uk/divorce/grounds-for-divorce Here are the common grounds for legal separation:

* Adultery Your spouse had an extra-marital affair. Imprisonment Your spouse is sent to prison for a certain amount of years (time of imprisonment for justification of legal separation depends on the state). Consanguinity After marriage, you find out that you and your spouse are closely related. Bigamy You find out that your spouse is still married, whether it is because he or she did not dissolve a marriage or lied and said the person died. Unsound Mind The person was not of a sound mind when you got married (example of this is being intoxicated) or has a mental illness that affects his or her ability to stay in the marriage. Neglect The spouse does not support the family in any way. Desertion Your spouse has left you and has no intent on returning. Domestic violence Harm or threat to harm a spouse. Physical, emotional, and sexual

abuse are grounds for legal separation. Fraud You find out the person only married you for a specific reason such as getting into the United States or take money from you. Impotence You find out that your spouse cannot have children and you want children. Physical incapacity Your spouse is unable or does not want to have sexual relations with you. Sexual transmitted disease Your husband or wife has transmitted a sexual disease to you intentionally or unknowingly. Unreasonable behavior Some states will allow legal separation for unreasonable behavior, which is determined on a case-by-case basis. Unreasonable behavior refers to behavior that either spouse cannot live with any longer.
Grounds for Legal Separation. (Hardy, M.) (n.d.) Love to Know Divorce. Retrieved on August 16, 2013 from http://divorce.lovetoknow.com/Grounds_for_Legal_Separation 3) I personally am pro the divorce law. Setting aside my religious beliefs, I know that this bill would be greatly beneficial to the Filipino people. As I read through the bill, there was a sufficient amount of data proving that annulment and legal separation are not enough to respond the causes of failed marriages. I believe that this law would help women in the Philippines mostly because they are the ones being battered and abused. They are the ones being blamed if the marriage is a failure. The men, on the other hand, are given freedom to have affiars outside of their marriage. For me, this bill just promotes equality for both men and women. Everyone is entitled to their rights, and through this bill, couples will have the option to protect their human rights. I understand that this is a law formed by a womens party list, and I am truly one with their cause. There are really so much instances when women are abused

by their husbands. It seems very unfair on the wives part because they cant do anything about it. Yes, there is legal separation and annulment but I dont think that it is enough to establish assurance. Through the divorce law, children and women will have protected their rights from further violence. Whats good about this law is that it doesnt necessarily coincide with the religious beliefs of this country. The law doesnt say that by including the divorce law, legal separation and annulment would disappear. It is only another option for couples to decide upon. It is entirely up to the couple to decide if divorce is necessary. Since the Philippines is basically the only country that doesnt have divorce, I think that its time for a change. Our society is ready for this and we could prove that we are also capable of instilling this law. http://www.congress.gov.ph/download/basic_15/HB01799.pdf