Parental ... Advice... Consent... Guidance.. hehehe!

There is this one thing that makes future brides and grooms miserable in their application for the paper works toward the journey of being wife and husband. It is not the marriage license or the dreaded reproductive health seminar at the local health clinic.... It is the so-called parental advice or parental consent.

Well it is not a big thing... since there are certain age limits for this additional requirements. Based from the Family Code of the Philippines:

Art. 14. In case either or both of the contracting parties, not having been emancipated by a previous marriage, are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, they shall, in addition to the requirements of the preceding articles, exhibit to the local civil registrar, the consent to their marriage of their father, mother, surviving parent or guardian, or persons having legal charge of them, in the order mentioned. Such consent shall be manifested in writing by the interested party, who personally appears before the proper local civil registrar, or in the form of an affidavit made in the presence of two witnesses and attested before any official authorized by law to administer oaths. The personal manifestation shall be recorded in both applications for marriage license, and the affidavit, if one is executed instead, shall be attached to said applications. (61a)
Art. 15. Any contracting party between the age of twenty-one and twenty-five shall be obliged to ask their parents or guardian for advice upon the intended marriage. If they do not obtain such advice, or if it be unfavorable, the marriage license shall not be issued till 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 marriage license. Should the parents or guardian refuse to give any advice, this fact shall be stated in the sworn statement. (62a)
What does the articles mean??? B.S. hehehehe... with all those wordings.. it just means that an affidavit of parent consent is needed for couples aged 18 to 21 ... I don't really know the logic about this one.. but I guess since the law changed the legal age of 21 to 18, there must be this notion that anyone getting married before 21 are still incapable of contracting marriage due to innocence.... Hmmm..... but I guess that is really stupid... Why have the legal marrying age at 18 years old if you still need your parental consent... why not have it by age 21 ... less the stress to marrying couples!

For the parental advice.. the article said that it is not really really a requirement... If no advice is given, the couple will wait for 120 days or 3 months for the issuance of their marriage license.. not the usual 10 days that the local registry process it. Hmmm... This is another requirement that I don't understand but I guess our lawmakers really have something in mind when they wrote this down. Our Filipino community is really big with family and I guess this particular parental advice seeks to prove that we are a family-centric society and that we look up to our parents or guardians for advice.

One or the other my dear future brides and grooms, if you fall under these stated age limits, you will have to follow it ... Absence of this document will make your marriage voidable... The good thing about it; no more annulment procedure... hahahaha... Seriously.... read the requirements very well... To help you... here are some links to get your the format of the form:

Parental consent... for marrying couple aged at least 21 but not younger than 18 (remember the legal marrying age is 18)... if one party is older... you still need it... read the article.. ANY of the consenting party... Click here to view form.

Parental advice... if you are at least 25 but above 21... Click me for your form.

It is good to understand and follow the rules... Do not go with shortcuts... It can fight back you know!