House bill to protect ‘ugly’ spouses, too – Alvarez

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (Photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net )

Published: 10:30 a.m., Jan. 3, 2018 | Updated: 11:59 p.m., Jan. 3, 2018

People who lack good looks but have enough money to attract partners may have found a champion in Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who said the proposed law legalizing civil unions was intended to protect the rights of even “ugly” spouses whose mates might have married them only for their wealth.

The bill, which Alvarez filed along with other House members, abolishes the system of absolute community of property that makes spouses co-owners of all their property, including those acquired before marriage.

According to Alvarez, the measure plans a complete separation of property if no marriage settlement is reached.

“This is for marriages for convenience where men and women on the plain side (kahit medyo pangit), find partners who marry them only for their money,” Alvarez said in an interview on the ANC program “Headstart” on Wednesday.

“Then the couple would wind up separating, especially now, during this digital [era], there are [apps] that can easily compute one’s net worth,” Alvarez explained.

It is the job of Congress to protect the country’s citizens, he added.

Told by program host Karen Davila that Congress had bigger problems, Alvarez countered: “[B]ig problems start with small ones.”

The civil union bill also allows same-sex partners to marry or form a civil partnership.

/kga /pdi