托�？荚囎魑姆段模悍坡少e擬立法允許離婚

　　Philippines moves closer to allowing divorce

　　The Philippines' lower house of Congress(菲律賓國會下議院/眾議院) has passed a divorce bill(離婚法案) on the third reading, moving the country closer to legalisation(合法化).

　　The bill passed despite opposition(反對) from President Rodrigo Duterte, who had his own marriage legally annulled(通過法律途徑宣布失效).

　　However, for divorce to become legal the Senate(參議院) also has to pass a bill in favour(贊同), and even then Mr Duterte could still use his veto(否決權(quán)) to strike it down(將其掰倒，即否決).

　　Worldwide(全球范圍內(nèi)), divorce is only illegal(違法的) in the Philippines(菲律賓) and Vatican City(梵蒂岡).

　　Over 80% of people in the Philippines describe themselves as Catholic(天主教), and the church has a powerful influence(影響力很大) in the country.

　　Congresswoman Emmi de Jesus said the bill was filed because of a "clamour(喧嘩) of women trapped in(受困于) abusive(虐待的) relationships", who need the government to give them a means(途徑) out of "irreparable(無法修復(fù)的) marriages".

　　The Divorce Bill, or House Bill 7303, passed with 134 votes in favour and 57 against, with two abstentions(以134票贊成票，57票反對票和2票棄權(quán)票獲得通過).

　　What can Filipinos currently do to get out of a marriage?

　　Currently, the only means to end a marriage legally in the Philippines is annulment(判決無效).

　　Such a ruling(判決) requires a civil case(民事案件) in which spouses(配偶) have to undergo mental health tests(接受精神狀況測試) and testify in court(出庭作證), all in a bid to(努力爭取) have a judge declare a marriage invalid(宣判婚姻無效).

　　Such cases can last up to ten years and are generally expensive. President Duterte won his annulment before he entered office(指擔任總統(tǒng)).

　　His spokesperson(發(fā)言人), Harry Roque, said the president feared the divorce bill would cause problems for the children of divorced couples.

　　What would the new bill allow?

　　This divorce bill would mean a court ruling could dissolve a marriage(解除婚姻) if it is deemed(被看作) "irremediably broken(不可修復(fù)的破滅)", allowing individuals to remarry another person of the opposite sex(異性).

　　The bill would also give courts the power to decide custody(監(jiān)護權(quán)) "in accordance with(與......相一致) the best interests" of minors(未成年人). Children under seven could not be separated from their mothers unless there were "compelling reasons(令人信服的理由)" to do so.

　　Opposition leader(反動派領(lǐng)銜) Edcel Lagman, one of the bill's sponsors(支持者), said that in such divorce cases, "there is no more marriage to protect or union to destroy because the marriage has long perished(消失/死亡)".

　　The bill does not end the "steadfast(堅定的) commitment of the state to protect and preserve marriage(維持婚姻)", he said.

　　In any case, divorce will not become legal in the Philippines unless the Senate passes a so-called counterpart bill(通過一部所謂的對等的法案), which the upper house(上議院/參議院) has not even drafted(起草).

　　Legislators(立法者) have advanced(推動) numerous divorce bills since 1999, but until now they have all failed to pass committee stage(無法獲得委員會的通過).

　　Polls(民調(diào)) suggest a narrow majority(微弱優(yōu)勢的多數(shù)派) in favour of(支持) divorce in the Philippines.