John Edward E, Escote SocARTS

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LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF MARRIAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES

If you assume that getting married in the Philippines is an easy process, you are mistaken. There
are quite a few hoops to jump through to get married in the Philippines, especially if you are under
age 25.

Don't let the marriage license laws of the Republic of the Philippines put a dent in your wedding
plans, though. Here's what you need to know and what documents to bring with you before you
apply for a Philippines marriage license. We recommend getting this legal aspect of your wedding
out of the way about a month before your wedding date.

Requirements may vary as each county in the Republic of the Philippines could have their own
requirements.

Required Documents and Information

If this is your first marriage, the local civil registrar will ask to see your original birth certificates or
your baptismal certificates. Certified copies may be accepted. You need to provide the full name,
residence, and citizenship of your parents or guardians.

If either of you is not a citizen of the Philippines, you have to provide your passport and a
certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage. An affidavit in lieu of the certificate may also be
accepted. You need to check with a U.S. consular officer to make sure they are providing the
affidavit.

Age Requirements, Parental Consent, and Parental Advice

If you are under the age of 18, you cannot get married in the Philippines even if your parents are
OK with the marriage.

Individuals must be at least 21 years old to get married in the Philippines without written parental
consent. If your parents cannot appear with you before the local civil registrar, a legal affidavit
with the signatures of two witnesses may be accepted.

Individuals between the age of 21 and 25, must "... ask their parents or guardian for advice upon
the intended marriage. If they do not obtain such advice, or if it is unfavorable, the marriage license
shall not be issued until after three months following the completion of the publication of the
application therefor. A sworn statement by the contracting parties to the effect that such advice has
been sought, together with the written advice given, if any, shall be attached to the  application
for a marriage license. Should the parents or guardian refuse to give any advice, this fact shall be
stated in the sworn statement."

Waiting Period

There is a waiting period of 10 consecutive days while notice of the marriage application is posted
on a bulletin board outside the local civil registrar's office.

Fees

Check with the local civil registrar for the fees charged for a marriage license. Fees for a marriage
license may be waived if the couple applying has no visible means of income or has insufficient
income.

Pre-Marital Counseling and Family Planning Seminar

If either of you is between the ages of 18 and 25, you will need to show proof to the local civil
registrar that you have received marriage counseling. If you do not receive marriage counseling,
your marriage license will not be issued for three months.

Previous Marriages

If you have been previously married, you will need to provide the death certificate of your
deceased spouse or the judicial decree of your absolute divorce or the judicial decree of your
annulment or declaration of nullity of your previous marriage.

Witnesses

Two witnesses are required. Witnesses must be of legal age.

Officiants

Members of the local judiciary; priests, rabbis, imams, ministers of registered churches or religious
sects; consul generals, consuls, vice-consuls. Military commanders in the absence of a chaplain and
ship captains and airplane chiefs can solemnize a marriage in articulo mortis.

If you use a religious officiant, one of you must belong to the officiant's church or religious sect.

Wedding Locations

Marriages must be solemnized publicly in a church, chapel, temple, judicial chambers or offices of
consuls. The only time a wedding can take place elsewhere is if the wedding is articulo mortis, in a
remote location, or if the officiant receives a request for a different location.
Proxy Marriage

The Republic of The Philippines does not allow marriage by proxy.

Common-Law Marriage

The Family Code of The Republic of The Philippines states: "No license shall be necessary for the
marriage of a man and a woman who have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years
and without any legal impediment to marry each other. The contracting parties shall state the
foregoing facts in an affidavit before any person authorized by law to administer oaths. The
solemnizing officer shall also state under oath that he ascertained the qualifications of the
contracting parties are found no legal impediment to the marriage. (76a)"

Cousin Marriages

Cousin marriages are not allowed. "Section 1, Article 38 of the Family Code prohibits marriage of
relatives up to the fourth civil degree (First cousins)."

Miscellaneous

The marriage license in the Philippines is valid for 120 days from the date of issue.

Please note that we make every effort to offer you common-sense marriage advice and helpful
information about marriage on this website, but we are not attorneys and the articles on the site
are not to be construed as legal advice. The information in this article was accurate when it was
published. It is important that you verify all information with your local marriage license office or
county clerk before making any wedding or travel plans. This Marriage site has a world-wide
audience and marriage laws and regulations vary from state to state and country to country. When
in doubt, seek legal counsel. Please notify us  of any oversights or errors.

REFERENCE: ttps://[Link]/get-married-in-the-philippines-2303484
 RITUAL OBJECT USED IN DIFFERENT MARRIAGE
Bride
The bride's attire is typically a custom-made white wedding gown and veil. This is from the
Anglo-American influence of dressing the woman in white on her wedding day. A popular
alternative is a white version of the Baro’t saya, a form of national dress for Filipino women.
Groom
The groom is traditionally clothed in the Barong tagalog , the formal and traditional transparent,
embroidered, button-up shirt made from jusi (also spelled as husi) fabric made
from pineapple fibers. This formal Filipino men's dress is worn untucked with a white t-
shirt or singlet underneath, and commonly worn together with a black pair of trousers.
Wedding Guests
Males guests typically wear the Filipino Barong, or a suit. Women wear a formal or semi-formal
dress, the length and color determined by the wedding theme. 
It is discouraged for female guests to wear white since this competes with the bride's traditional
wedding dress color. For Chinese Filipino weddings, it is customary for the bride to wear red. It
is frowned upon to wear this color as a guest, for the same reason.
Black and white ensembles are also considered impolite in traditional Chinese Filipino
weddings. These colors symbolize death and mourning, and are deemed to have no places in a
festive celebration like weddings. However, using these as accents is acceptable.
Wedding ceremony
Generally, the wedding ceremony proper includes the celebration of an hour-long Mass or
religious service. The groom arrives an hour earlier than the bride for the purpose of receiving
guests at the church or venue. The groom could be waiting with his parents; the bride will arrive
later with her father and mother on board a wedding car. Afterwards, the wedding party
assembles to enter the church for the processional. During the nuptials, Catholic and Aglipayan
brides customarily bear an ornate, heirloom rosary along with their bridal bouquet.
Ceremonial sponsors, witnesses, and participants
The principal wedding sponsors (also termed "godparents," "special sponsors," "primary
sponsors," "counselors," or "witnesses"), are often chosen by the betrothed, sometimes on advice
of their families. Multiple pairs of godparents are customary, with six godmothers (ninang) and
six godfathers (ninong)
Ritual objects
Ceremonial paraphernalia in Filipino weddings include the arrhae, the candles, the veils, the
cord, and wedding rings The ring bearer acts as the holder and keeper of the rings until the
exchanging of rings is performed, while the coin bearer acts as the holder and keeper of the
arrhae until it is offered and given by the groom to his bride. Among the secondary sponsors or
wedding attendants, three pairs – each pair consists of a male and a female secondary sponsor –
are chosen to light the wedding candles, handle the veils, and place the cord.
Rings and arrhae
After the exchange of wedding rings by the couple, the groom gives the wedding arrhae to his
bride. The arrhae is a symbol of his "monetary gift" to the bride because it is composed of 13
pieces of gold, or silver coins, a "pledge" that the groom is devoted to the welfare and well-being
of his wife and future offspring. Both rings and arrhae are blessed first by the priest during the
wedding.
Candles
Candle Sponsors are secondary sponsors who light the pair of candles, one on each side of the
couple. For Christians, this embodies the presence of God in the union. An old folk belief holds
that should one of the candles go out during the rite, the person beside it will die ahead of the
other.
Many weddings add the ritual of the "unity candle", which signifies the joining of their two
families. The couple takes the two lighted candles and together lights a single candle. For
Christians, lighting this single candle symbolises the inclusion of Christ into their life as a
married couple. The practice is rooted in American Protestantism and is sometimes discouraged
by Catholic parishes for theological reasons.
Veils
After the candle ritual, a pair of secondary sponsors known as the Veil Sponsors will pin the
veil(s) on the couple. The veiling ritual signifies the clothing of the two individuals as one.
Two variants of this custom exist: a long, white, rectangular veil is draped over the shoulder of
the groom and above the bride's head; two smaller veils may also be pinned on the groom and
bride's shoulders.
Cord
After the veiling, the last pair of secondary sponsors will then drape the yugal over the shoulders
of the couple. The cord is customarily shaped or looped to form the figure "8" (a lucky number;
the figure is also interpreted as the infinity sign), to symbolise "everlasting fidelity." Each loop
of the cord is placed around the individual collar areas of the bride and the groom.
Apart from silk, popular materials used to make the wedding cord are strings of flowers, links of
coins, or a chain designed like a long, double rosary.
Holy Bible
Catholic and Protestant weddings include the entrustment to the couple of a copy of the Holy
Bible.
Wedding reception
During the wedding reception, it is typical to release a pair of white male and female doves,
symbolising marital harmony and peace. These are placed in a cage or receptacle, which can be
opened by pulling ribbons or cords or manually opened and released by the couple themselves.
After their release from their cage, the person who catches them may take them home to rear as
pets.
It is also a common practice to have the "Money Dance." This is where the bride and groom
dance to slow music while the guests pin money (notes) on the couple. The monetary gift from
the dance is a way to help the new couple get started with their married life.
Tossing the bouquet is for the most part uncommon for the bride to do, though it is increasingly
being observed by younger women. Instead, the bride traditionally offers it at a side altar of the
church before an image of either the Blessed Virgin Mary or a patron saint, or offers it at the
grave of an important relative or ancestor.

REFERENCE:
[Link]
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