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Want to Marry A Filipina? Think Again..

35K views 71 replies 33 participants last post by  isotope 
#1 ·
Many of us are married to a Filipina and have had good luck and a good life. It has always been a fairly easy process to contract marriage here but that is likely about to change.

The Philippine government seems to think there should be more requirements to marry as they feel the Filipina ladies are too often being exploited. Seems to me it is most often times the men that are getting the short end of the stick :cool:.

Interesting article. What is YOUR opinion?



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#2 ·
From the article:
"The House approved on second reading House Bill 2387 prescribing additional requirements for interracial unions after it received sponsorship in the committee on revision of laws chaired by Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas." - Wow, could you imagine if you tried to implement requirements for interracial unions in a western country?
And
"The bill was a substitute for House Bill 2387 authored by Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn F. Garcia, who described her measure as protection against “vagabonds or social and moral derelicts in their own country” and whose real motive is to abuse Filipino women." - Wait a minute, isn't Garcia the one who barricaded herself inside the governor's office last year, after numerous corruption charges were made against her?

I've heard of an instance way back in which a Filipina married her German pen pal, and was taken to West Berlin and forced to work as a prostitute. Unfortunately these things happen. However, I think that a lot more woman are placed at risk by working as domestic helpers in the Middle East, but yet there doesn't seem to be any effort to help the woman who are heading overseas to work as domestic helpers?

I think that certain people are just trying to pick the easiest fruit off the tree, and to make it appear that they are doing something productive, when they really aren't. I think we should all keep half an eye on this.
 
#3 ·
Maxx that is absolutely right. I lived in the ME for 12 years and the abuse the housemaids were subject to is unimaginably. As you stated some are exploited by their husbands. The government is only trying to protect its people and i must agree with them. However I am not so sure they are moving in the right direction. With the amount of Filipinas through out the world as workers OFW you would think the government would monitor OFW better.
 
#4 ·
reply

My question is I am divorced from Phillipine citizen,marriage was in Canada.I have read online requirement to remarry in Phillipines is anullment.Is a certificate of divorce from Canada good enough?And where do I get letter of "good morals"?I plan to remarry in Phillipines this December.Do I also require letter from my employer and proof of income??
 
#5 ·
My question is I am divorced from Philippine citizen,marriage was in Canada.I have read online requirement to remarry in Phillipines is anullment.Is a certificate of divorce from Canada good enough?And where do I get letter of "good morals"?I plan to remarry in Phillipines this December.Do I also require letter from my employer and proof of income??
Good questions and especially on the issuance of a cert of good moral standards? I know of no government that has or would issue such a document to anyone. Makes no sense to me. On top of that, this country either can not or will not enforce over 99% of the existing laws as it is. It honestly looks to me to be a law or requirement crafted by people trying to climb the political ladder and one that would give rise to even more corruption and graft by those (mayors and other local officials) that are sworn to uphold the law. A joke at best..
 
#6 ·
I am in agreement with everyone contributing to this thread. In order for any relationship to work, especially to a Filipina, there are certain criteria that is needed for said relationship to work, they are:
1. Both people have to be fully and completely compatible with each other, share the same beliefs, ideals and goals.
2. They have to love each other, fully and completely.
3. They have to trust each other, fully and completely.
4. They have to treat each other with kindness and gentleness, no physical or verbal abuse, Period.
5. When a Foreigner marries a Filipina there can and will be come cultural differences and beliefs.
6. Prior to any permanent relationship forming, time must be taken to make a relationship grow into a strong one.
7. The Filipina needs to understand that sometimes, a marriage to a Foreigner may not mean that she will immigrate to her husband's country. This happens, it did to us, as much as I wanted my wife and me to live in the USA, it didn't work that way. I had to make one of two choices, either I live in America, and die a lonely old man, or I live in the Philippines with my wife, and spend what time I have left with her by my side and be happy and when the time comes, I die in her arms. I am happy because I have a good wife who takes good care of me. She works hard, even at her job, which is not easy as she is a caregiver.

If you are lucky like the majority of the members of this group, you have a good thing going for you. It is important that no matter what, you stick together and you stay together.
 
#7 ·
“The exploitation of our Filipino women, through the so-called mail-order or pen-pal, Facebook, website-made, and other internet-made marriages, has not only caused untold miseries and suffering to our Filipino women but it has also brought dishonor and disgrace to the Filipino womanhood,”

Sorry, but that makes me laugh. Are they saying that woman aren't exploited in their own marriages to Filipino men? And if they are exploited (beaten, abused, cheated on, wife only in title), what option is there for the woman? (ok, so there's annulment but it comes at a steep financial price and while maybe easier to get now than before, it's still a play on words and hope you get the right judge)

My can't-wait-to-finally-marry partner and I are carefully (impatiently patiently) jumping through all of the hoops to finally be together and then like this. While Jet Lag has a point about laws not being enforced, I bet this one does as it involves foreigners and someone will find a way to make money off of it. Getting married in the US and simply registering the marriage at the consulate is looking better and better all of the time.
 
#8 ·
Good info, and experiences, to wake up the gullible and those unaware.

I think this is 100% politically motivated to advance some ones career. And, yes, I agree it will be exploited by some trying to make money from the foreigner again. Another piece of paper does not guarantee a good relationship.

Don't need to look at the OFW's..........I have seen so many Filipino families with Filipina helpers right here........and treating them so badly............insulting, beating, 24/7 servicing, low pay if any..........looks like modern day slavery to me. Enforce the existing laws.
 
#9 ·
Intent is good. But I disagree with "House Bills". IF they make it difficult for people to get married legally, imagine the consequences. No marriage? Buy doc requirements? Etc?
I doubt it if "laws" can reduce abuse. Why not put more resources to assist man/woman who wants to get out of abusive relationships? Once I was asked to chat with a Filipina in "safe passage"
 
#10 ·
Many of us are married to a Filipina and have had good luck and a good life. It has always been a fairly easy process to contract marriage here but that is likely about to change.

The Philippine government seems to think there should be more requirements to marry as they feel the Filipina ladies are too often being exploited. Seems to me it is most often times the men that are getting the short end of the stick :cool:.

Interesting article. What is YOUR opinion?

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Typical....its time usa starts to impose sanctions too.
 
#14 ·
Marriage to a Filipina? That alone one could write a book and hard to answer in a few words. Dating sites are totally ridicules! One does not look in the person eyes and see only what one wants to see. It is all fantasy. Those that come to the Philippines and spend one or two weeks together then make a life commitment. Ridiculous again and full of fantasy, both are on their best behavior and trying to impress during that short visit.
I have seen abuse on both sides. One marriage in the Philippines blows me away, his wife has to cook American food only, she is not allowed to have Philippine food and she lives in the Philippines! Many I see will not allow their wife to go anywhere alone, he HAS to take her. On the other side: I know of a friend that built a beautiful house for his wife (in her name) and after they moved in she moved her pinoy BF in! I could go on and on.
I am not against marriage to a Filipina just saying use your head! I am very happy with my wife and thank God for her and my daughter.
 
#15 ·
Very good points Phil and thanks for posting. There is both good and bad in relationships in any country. I know guys living here that won't spend a dime on taking their wives out to even a fast food joint and or who demand receipts and change back for every purchase made. Screwy stuff and a horrible way to treat a wife--any wife. At the same time though, the gals that subject themselves to such treatment and allow it to continue are part of the problem as well.
I agree 100% with you thoughts on dating/pen pal sites.
I'm one of the lucky ones I guess. I first came to the Philippines in 1996 on a short vacation just to look around.
While here, I met a lady in an elevator in Manila two times in one day. That was our ONLY time spent together in person. After returning home to the US, I sent an email to the place of her employment. Somehow, my email ended up at her work computer. From there, we visited by phone, FAX, and email for seven (7) years.
Well, I returned to the Philippine in 2003 and married that lady. She was in her early 30's then and had never had a boyfriend let alone a husband.
On the 26 of this month (August) we will be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary. 11 years and four children later; I am still the happiest and luckiest guy around.
I know it does not always work this way. But if a person takes the time and really knows the person they marry and are 100% committed to the marriage-it can and will work..
 
#16 ·
While I mostly agree with all your comments, I think there is a very important point forgotten! The government here does not want any ordinary Flipino(a) to become too influential, i.e. have funds to become independent and able to confront the government at any level. The political clans here in Philippines can only survive as long as the ordinary citizen is poor and must concentrate totally on survival. This has been, is now and probably always will be the main concern of the governing class here. This is also the reason why the church remains so strong, with political support, it's all the people have. If not faith for a better tomorrow through Christ, what do they have left ? Nobody here will help them. Except maybe for a kind expat :)
Capt, very well said indeed. That is very true with the corruption and the ruling class keeping the populace under their financial thumb

Thanks for posting...
 
#18 ·
Shhh---not yet. Dont give them any more ideas than they have already:nono:...:D
 
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#19 ·
So that instead of a foreigner marrying the Filipina woman which gives her some protection and safeguards in areas like support, inheritance, child care as well as providing social legitimacy to the relationship, this law will “protect” the woman by giving a man a ready-made excuse to not marry but live common law where the woman has no legal standing under Philippine law and the guy can end the relationship for the price of a plane ticket anywhere, anytime.
 
#21 ·
The Philippine family code considders a cohabitating couple as common law and give the same rights as if they are married. All possession, houses etc are considered conjugal hense you can't lease a house and lot from your gf and are enjoying the marital benifits;). Basically you can't have your cake and eat it.
 
#24 ·
Gotta wonder if the fiancee' visa is also going to become more difficult.
Perhaps the good moral character will consist of an FBI or state legal check like the ones required for permanent visas in places like Ecuador. With fiancee or spousal visas one is already required to prove that you can financially support your mate.
 
#25 ·
If the law wins votes, accolades from the church an also get appreciated by those who found another method to make the perpetually bad foreigner pay for their living in luxury in Philippines, why not?

After all natives are pure and innocent, and foreigners are all bad ..

Don't ask me why many Filipino females prefer to Marry a poor foreigner than a poor filipino after the failed attempt with the Filipino men generally only left the girl poorer and a child to take care ..

While the man goes forth and multiplies !!

Welcome to Philippines

PS, just like the laws that say foreigners must carry identification while natives don't have a national ID, and criminals just move to another island and get a new name, new ID an sometimes new passport to fly overseas!!!
 
#26 · (Edited)
I would disagree in part. The vast majority of foreigners that legally marry a Filipina end up taking them to their own home countries where their marriages in most cases remain intact and are a success.
In turn, the foreigners that the Philippines is - or should I say SHOULD be concerned about are the ones that come here with no intent to marry anyone. They come here to play, treat the woman and most all other locals badly, leave the country having increased the local population and in general, cause more harm than good. These are the foreigners, the same type that visit places like Vietnam and Thailand and give all of us a bad name.
This country (The Philippines) has no way {or political will} to really enforce most of it's laws to begin with. The purpose of the proposal of this new law is simply for someone in politics to make a name for themselves and quite possibly a lot of money by running businesses that are designed to skirt the laws..
 
#27 ·
Does anyone have further information as to when these new bills, regulations and requirements "might" make their way into the system? If ever...

I have known and have been seeing my fiancée for several years now and we are planning on getting married later this year, (as soon as I arrive there November 2014), and we have worked so hard trying to get all the necessary documents together...I am really hoping there will be nothing additional that we will need to accomplish after reading this article.

Do new laws and bills materialize as slowly as everything else happens in the Philippines? Or is this revised Bill something that is already in the works and could materialize sometime very quickly?
 
#28 ·
In-Laws



Cebu Citizen,

I hope and pray that you will have a very happy marriage when it takes place. I got lucky with I married my wife in that she is very frugal, hates to waste money, wants to save it. She knows the value of it and this gives her a very good business mind. She thinks like a man when it comes to business. I have told her, from the very beginning of our relationship, which is almost 10 years long, that I am not a wealthy man and don't have deep pockets filled with $1,000US bills. I told her I can't and won't support her entire family, especially any who are lazy. I got lucky on the in-laws too because they have never asked me for money. My wife has been their sole bread winner since she was 11 years old and is now 39. We do help them with enough money to buy food for the month, and keep a roof over their heads. We also help my wife's brother, who lives in Cebu City, who was run over by a motorbike, and a sister, a little each month. We do not help anyone else and my wife refuses to help any other family member.

If is very important that your fiancée understands this as well. No borrowing funds with the intent to pay back when it never will get paid back. Send me a personal email and we can talk more and in private.
 
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#42 ·
If they really cared abou the safety of pinay then they'd legalize divorce. Pinoy don't have a great track record when it comes to not abusing their wives. They beat, rape, and exploit their wives at an almost epidemic rate. And pinay cannot divorce them. The police don't help because the man can just pay his "fine" directly to the police officer right before going back inside and letting his fist give warnings about calling the cops again in the future.


And what the heck is a certificate of good moral standing? Like anyone could know that. You can never have been arrested before and still be kicking puppies in your basement every night. Like the USA government (or any other) would even release such a certificate. Heck... they don't even release a legal capacity to marry.. it's only an affidavit which even a married person can get just by swearing they aren't married.


This whole bill is garbage and is about one thing: money.

Where are the bills to protect pinay OFW from getting boiling water poured on them in Saudia Arabia or beaten to death in Australia?
 
#43 ·
As said previously, this is to keep the people down and without means to get power. Yes it's money too, but the main issue is to avoid any ordinary citizen somehow gets enough money and time to challenge the government. We as expats could potentially be a catalyst for the next revolution and the politicians know it.
Foreigners {expats and those married to Filipinos and living out of the country} from all countries combined could probably cause a social upheaval without a doubt. Thing is though is the vast majority of us/them don't give a rats tail what goes on here or who is in power. As long as we have a comfortable, low cost place to live, that's about all that matters -- right??
 
#46 ·
Simple solution: don't get married inside the Philippines. Just fly to Las Vegas and get married there. Then return as husband and wife. A US marriage certificate is valid everywhere.

I got married with an Indonesian woman in Hawaii. One reason was that in Indonesia they were seriously asking me to become a Muslim before being allowed to get married there.

I am German, my wife was Indonesian and we lived in Australia with a marriage certificate from Hawaii. Result: whether in Australia, Philippines (where we also lived), Germany (where we had to get a Visa for my wife), Indonesia or anywhere else: It never mattered that we had a Hawaii marriage certificate.
 
#47 ·
yah, but Ph has also some processes, where marriage outside the country to a Filipino is not recognized.

you need to register in the PH Embassy, then get a reference, and then go to NSO to get another reference, and then another something and then you get an authenticated copy of the marriage, without which, your spouse cannot change status to be married, and in the process loose out a lot of benefits, which come for married spouses, PhilHealth for a start
 
#48 ·
Marriage should not be a problem between a filipina and a foreigner! It only becomes a problem when the Filipina is married as it is difficult to severe marriages in the Philippines because it is a catholic country! But this does not apply only to foreigners! It is simply that marriages is difficult to dissolve in a country like the Philippines but it can be done!
 
#49 · (Edited by Moderator)
I married 2 years ago and have lived here in San Pedro,Laguna since it was a night mare to get her or I should say our papers in order and even after all the BULL to get every thing recorded unbelievable that this is the 21st century and they still do not use computers in many gov offices or city offices every thing is done in a paper book leger. LIKE I SAID UNBELIEVABLE
 
#50 ·
Frustrating to say the least. The main reason for the lack of computer usage in many Government offices and even banks to a large degree is the constant power and internet outages. As you have undoubtedly experienced, they have planned outages for supposed repairs and others that happens when someone sneezes in the wrong direction. So the only way to stay open and conduct business is to protect themselves by using typewriters, note pads, and pocket calculators. But yep, either way it is strange for the 21st century.
 
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