Atty January Mar & Atty Arnie Magdaong Law Office

08/10/2026

I am genuinely happy to see this development, a significant breakthrough in Philippine law and more importantly, a meaningful step toward making the legal process more accessible to Filipinos who seek recognition of a foreign divorce. 🤗

What makes this development particularly significant is that it recognizes the need to simplify the procedural barriers faced by Filipino spouses who are already legally divorced abroad. The amendments do not change the substantive requirements for recognition of foreign divorce, but they make the process of proving the divorce more practical, efficient, and accessible.

At its core, the law should not unnecessarily make it difficult for individuals to obtain legal recognition of a status that has already been established under a foreign jurisdiction. For Filipinos who find themselves in marriages that have already been dissolved abroad, an easier and more streamlined judicial process can provide not only legal clarity, but also an opportunity to move forward with their lives.

For me, this is more than just a procedural amendment. It reflects a continuing effort of our legal system to balance the sanctity of marriage with the realities of modern family life, while ensuring that the courts remain accessible to those seeking legitimate relief.

I welcome this development as a step toward a more responsive, humane, and accessible justice system, one that recognizes that the law must not only protect the institution of marriage, but must also provide a fair and reasonable path for those whose marital relationships have already irreparably ended.

The law should protect marriage, but it should also recognize when the lawfully established reality is that a marriage has already come to an end. 🙌⚖️

The 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤, during its session on October 7, 2026, approved amendments to the 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 (A.M. No. 25-03-14-SC) to make it easier for Filipino spouses to prove a foreign divorce when seeking its recognition in Philippine courts.

Under the amendments, which will take effect 15 days after they are posted on the Supreme Court Website, Filipino spouses seeking recognition of a foreign divorce under Article 26(2) of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 will no longer need to prove the applicable foreign law when filing their petition. They will only need to prove that the foreign divorce took place.

The amendments introduce Section 48-A of Rule 39, which presumes that a foreign divorce between a Filipino and a foreign spouse allows the foreign spouse to remarry under foreign law, unless the divorce decree itself states that it is only a limited divorce.

The party opposing the petition now bears the burden of proving that the divorce is not absolute.

The new rule also presumes that an English translation of a foreign divorce document is accurate if the translator certifies its accuracy under oath.

These presumptions are disputable; they may be challenged with contrary evidence, under Section 3 of Rule 131.

The amendments, however, leave the existing legal framework unchanged. A petition for judicial recognition of a foreign divorce is still required, and the substantive requirements of Article 26(2) of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 remain the same.

Recognition of a foreign divorce may still be opposed on grounds such as lack of jurisdiction, lack of notice, fraud, or a clear mistake of law or fact.

The amendments were approved upon the recommendation of Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, and in consultation with Associate Justices Amy C. Lazaro-Javier and Jhosep Y. Lopez, and the Sub-Technical Working Group on the Concerns of Overseas Working Filipinos Regarding the Recognition of Foreign Divorce Decrees/Reports (Sub-TWG).

During consultations with the Sub-TWG, the Department of Foreign Affairs identified several challenges. Foreign family laws are often spread across different jurisdictions, making them difficult to obtain. Some countries have no designated official who can certify these laws, while foreign ministries generally do not provide official English translations.

Through these amendments, the Supreme Court aims to remove unnecessary barriers and make it easier for Filipinos to exercise their rights under the law.

Read the full text of the Press Briefer at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=174621.

The full text of the Supreme Court 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 Resolution A.M. No. 25-03-14-SC shall be uploaded to the Supreme Court Website once available.

08/10/2026

📌 Under the amendments, which will take effect 15 days after they are posted on the Supreme Court Website, Filipino spouses seeking recognition of a foreign divorce under Article 26(2) of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 will no longer need to prove the applicable foreign law when filing their petition. They will only need to prove that the foreign divorce took place.

📌 The amendments introduce Section 48-A of Rule 39, which presumes that a foreign divorce between a Filipino and a foreign spouse allows the foreign spouse to remarry under foreign law, unless the divorce decree itself states that it is only a limited divorce.

📌 The party opposing the petition now bears the burden of proving that the divorce is not absolute.

📌 The new rule also presumes that an English translation of a foreign divorce document is accurate if the translator certifies its accuracy under oath.

📌 These presumptions are disputable; they may be challenged with contrary evidence, under Section 3 of Rule 131.

📌 The amendments, however, leave the existing legal framework unchanged. A petition for judicial recognition of a foreign divorce is still required, and the substantive requirements of Article 26(2) of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 remain the same.

📌 Recognition of a foreign divorce may still be opposed on grounds such as lack of jurisdiction, lack of notice, fraud, or a clear mistake of law or fact.

Inaprubahan ng 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 ng , sa sesyon nito noong Oktubre 7, 2026, ang mga pagbabago sa 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 (A.M. No. 25-03-14-SC) tungkol sa petisyon para kilalanin ang diborsyong nadeklara sa ibang bansa, kung saan hindi na kakailanganing patunayan ng asawang Pilipino ang banyagang batas at tanging ang mismong diborsyo na lang ang kailangan patunayan.

Sa ilalim ng mga pagbabago, na magkakabisa 15 araw matapos itong mailathala sa 𝙬𝙚𝙗𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 ng Korte Suprema, hindi na kailangang patunayan ng mga Pilipinong asawa na naghahain ng petisyon para kilalanin ang isang diborsyong isinagawa sa ibang bansa, alinsunod sa Artikulo 26(2) ng 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚, kung ano ang naaangkop na batas ng nasabing bansa. Ang kailangan na lamang nilang patunayan ay na talagang naganap ang diborsyo sa ibang bansa.

Ipinakikilala ng mga pagbabago ang Seksyon 48-A ng Rule 39, na nagtatakda ng pagpapalagay na ang diborsyong isinagawa sa ibang bansa sa pagitan ng isang Pilipino at dayuhang asawa ay nagbibigay-daan sa dayuhang asawa na muling magpakasal alinsunod sa batas ng kanyang bansa, maliban kung malinaw na nakasaad mismo sa 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙚 ng diborsyo na ito ay isang limitadong uri lamang ng diborsyo.

Sa ilalim ng bagong tuntunin, ang panig na tumututol sa petisyon ang siyang kailangang magpatunay na hindi ganap ang diborsyo.

Ipinapalagay rin sa bagong tuntunin na tama at tumpak ang salin sa Ingles ng isang dokumento ng diborsiyo mula sa ibang bansa, basta’t pinanunumpaan ng tagapagsalin na ito ay wasto at tumpak.

Maaaring pabulaanan ang mga pagpapalagay na ito sa pamamagitan ng salungat na ebidensiya, alinsunod sa Seksyon 3 ng Rule 131.

Gayunman, hindi pinapalitan ng mga pagbabagong ito ang umiiral na legal na balangkas. Kinakailangan pa rin ang paghahain ng petisyon para sa 𝙟𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ng isang diborsiyong ipinagkaloob sa ibang bansa, at nananatiling pareho ang mga kahingiang itinatadhana sa Artikulo 26(2) ng 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚.

Maaari pa ring tutulan ang pagkilala sa diborsiyong ipinagkaloob sa ibang bansa batay sa mga kadahilanan gaya ng kawalan ng hurisdiksiyon, kakulangan ng pabatid, panlilinlang, o malinaw na pagkakamali sa batas o sa mga pangyayari.

Inaprubahan ang mga pagbabagong ito batay sa rekomendasyon ni Kasangguning Mahistrado Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, at matapos makipag-ugnayan kina Kasangguning Mahistrado Amy C. Lazaro-Javier at Jhosep Y. Lopez, gayundin sa Sub-Technical Working Group on the Concerns of Overseas Working Filipinos Regarding the Recognition of Foreign Divorce Decrees/Reports (Sub-TWG).

Sa pamamagitan ng mga pagbabagong ito, layunin ng Korte Suprema na alisin ang mga hindi nararapat na balakid at gawing mas madali para sa mga Pilipino ang pagtamasa ng kanilang mga karapatang itinatadhana ng batas.

Basahin ang kabuuang 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧 sa https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=174621.

Ang buong teksto ng 𝙀𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙘 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ng Korte Suprema, A.M. No. 25-03-14-SC, ay ipapaskil sa 𝙬𝙚𝙗𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 ng Korte Suprema sa sandaling ito ay maging available.

Sumunod sa 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙮 ng SC PIO: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

📌Annulment / Declaration of Nullity of Marriage Costs Infographics.

Photo credits to: Atty. EA ☺️

03/10/2026

Sorry, we are closed today due to out-of-office commitments and errands. If you have any queries or concerns, please leave us a message and we will respond as soon as we're available. Thank you! 😊

30/09/2026

26/09/2026

Take note: The Philippines and Vatican City are the only two sovereign nations in the world that do not have a general civil law for divorce. ❌️