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The people of the Philippines could soon be able to obtain divorces through the country’s courts.

The staunchly Catholic nation is, along with the Vatican City, currently the only nation in the world that does not allow divorce but, with the country’s lower house having passed a divorce bill on Monday, this could change if a counterpart bill is now passed in the Senate and not vetoed by the incumbent President who has actively campaigned against the introduction of such legislation.

The Catholic Church is an extremely influential force within the country and has frequently opposed the introduction of divorce, claiming that it would undermine the vital institution of marriage. Whilst more than 80% of Filipinos identify as catholic, though, recent polls have indicated that a small majority of people support the introduction of this legislation.

Currently, Filipinos who have encountered dissatisfaction within their marriages have been left with no option other than to seek an annulment – something which can be both taxing and expensive. Applicants are required to undergo mental health assessments before presenting their case to a judge who will then decide if the marriage can be invalidated. The process has been known to take up to ten years and, critics argue, simply cannot be accessed by the vast majority of those who have been affected by marital breakdown.

The new bill would, if passed, allow the courts to determine whether a marriage has irretrievably broken down and also allow divorcees to remarry. It would also give the courts the power to decide which parent any children should live with in accordance with their best interests, but also stipulates that children under the age of seven should not be separated from their mothers other than in extreme circumstances.

The nation’s leader of the opposition has claimed that allowing divorce would not undermine the institution of marriage, arguing that people looking to divorce their spouses are, in effect, already resigned to the fact that their marriage has irretrievably broken down.

Legislators have been attempting to introduce divorce to the Philippines since 1999 but have previously been unable to get bills past the county’s lower house.