HEADLINES: House sets stage for divorce debates | June 13, 2024

Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, June 13, 2024.

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BANNER: House sets stage for divorce debates

THE House of Representatives has sent the absolute divorce bill to the Senate, setting the stage for heated debates there, in the only country left outside the Vatican without such a law. House Bill (HB) 9349 was approved by the House on third and final reading on May 22, with 131 lawmakers voting in favor of it, 109 voting against it and 20 abstaining. Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the bill, said its passage in the House signified a significant shift in societal attitudes toward marriage and relationships in the country, but the bill faces stiff opposition from conservative senators, including the newly installed Senate President Francis Escudero and the man he replaced, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri. In a statement Wednesday, Lagman said the bill was sent to the Senate with a letter on June 10. The bill must be approved by the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President. In the Philippines, there is no divorce except among Muslims.

Number of Chinese warships in WPS up

THE number of Chinese warships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has increased, but it is still within acceptable limits, the Philippine Navy (PN) said Wednesday. Based on monitoring from June 4 to 10, a total of 146 Chinese ships were sighted in various areas in the West Philippine Sea, 22 of which were believed to be Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships, said Commo. Roy Vincent Trinidad. The figures are considerably higher compared to the 125 Chinese vessels spotted from May 28 to June 3, of which nine ships were from the PLAN.

PCG men raise PH flag over Escoda Shoal

PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) personnel from the BRP Teresa Magbanua on Wednesday participated in a flag-raising ceremony at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to mark Independence Day. PCG spokesman Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said the event was the first flag raising at