HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin pointed out on Wednesday that a compromised version for minimal annulment fee should be done if the Senate will not agree on the House version of divorce bill.

This was the response of Garin when asked regarding the survey held in Senate wherein six senators voted in favor of the divorce bill while five senators voted against it.

“Kung in case na hindi siya mapasa dahil medyo patas ang takbo sa Senado, puwedeng gawin diyan ay gawing libre ang annulment. Dapat walang ganoon kalaking gastos. Sa hirap ng buhay gagastusan mo pa ba ‘yung annulment? Dahil dito, nagiging tiis-tiis na lang,” the Iloilo First District Representative said.

Garin was among the legislators who voted ‘yes’ on House Bill (HB) 9349, or the proposed Absolute Divorce Act.

The House of Representatives has approved the said bill on the third and final reading with 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions.

HB 9349 seeks to provide absolute divorce as a legal remedy for irreparably broken marriages under specific grounds and judicial processes, with the goal of sparing children from the emotional strain of parental dispute and allowing divorced individuals to remarry.

Meanwhile, Garin said that she respects the opinion of other legislators regarding divorce bill.

“Depende ‘yan sa bawat legislator. May kanya-kanyang paniniwala, ‘yung iba sinasabi may annulment naman. Marami ang may kanya-kanyang pananaw,” she said.

Only Philippines and Vatican City are the countries which do not have divorce law.