Garcia introduces Bill to restrict Filipina-foreigner marriages

Former Cebu Governor and now Congresswoman (for Cebu's 3rd District) Gwendolyn Garcia has introduced House Bill 2387 which would amend Article 66 of the Civil Code and would require all foreigners seeking to marry Filipinas to provide a certificate "of good moral character" and also a certificate showing that he has gainful employment or owns a business, issued by his country's embassy. These new requirements would be in addition to the Police Clearance Certificate and proof of income currently required by BI for 13a Visas and also by some Registrars prior to issuing a marriage license. In short folks, it is going to get a whole lot more difficult and expensive to marry in the Philippines.


Garcia has form for being anti-foreigner and, whilst Governor, publicly stated that all crimes against women are perputrated by foreigners. She has also had all foreigners charged with any crimes to be paraded before her and the press. Her Cebu One party is nationalist and xenophobic.

Garcia would not have done this were she not confident that the move will prove popular. It is a salutary reminder that anti-foreigner feeling is widespread.

I doubt that this Bill will pass, but keep in mind that the Garcias are a powerful clan and are aligned with UNA.

(She did not take any action to shut down the girlie bars in Mango Avenue whilst she was Governor of Cebu.)

Come to think of it, isn't her daughter married to an American?

More Gwen Garcia stuff:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/478493...lastimosa-an-unfair-warning-to-critical-media

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/484101/hret-to-hear-protest-vs-gwen

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/439653/garcia-left-cebu-province-in-debt-by-p800m-says-new-gov

I think that Garcia's Bill will be passed. It will be popular as it is aimed at a soft target - foreigners - and it seeks to end exploitation of Filipinas. It is also a cheap Bill to pass as it amends existing legislation rather than introduce something completely new.

In introducing her new Bill, Garcia stated that foreigners exploit Filipinas by sending them out to work, ignoring the fact that many Filipina wives choose to work and there is a significant number of instances where the wives are the bread winners. Garcia also said that foreigners often prostitute their wives - here she is grandstanding as I know of no case in the last 6 years where this has been shown to be even remotely true.

Simple solution to this, of course: marry outside the Philippines!

Glad I saw this thread. Thank you for the information.

But who's going to marry all those single mothers Filipino men dump?

Now that is a good question.

Exactly. This is the syndrome my wife's sister has landed in.

I'm doing my bit!

I asked a friend in Manila who is a TV producer; he thinks Garcia is grandstanding to try and recover her damaged reputation and the bill will go nowhere.

(What he actually said was much more pithy and included the remark "...as nationalist as a Chinese dildo"...!)

More important things than a small percentage of bad foreigners ... like the high percentage of poor Cebuanos. Address the important things Gwendolyn

As opposed to the Phils were your missus is the only one allowed to work lol

I can work here too. Quite legally.

I'd love to go to the Phils and let my wife look after us :vhappy:

Yes I do but I do know several married expats who live on extensions.

You can probably own property to Mark

No - ownership of real property is restricted to Philippine citizens only.

And I would just add to that - don't be taken for a ride by "schemes" that appear to get round this, such as ownership through a company, ownership of an apartment in a condominium, etc.