MANILA — Measures seeking to amend provisions of the Family Code of the Philippines, which give preference to the husband’s decision in certain family issues, hurdled a House panel on Wednesday.

The House Committee on Women and Gender Equality approved House Bills that seek to give the wife equal rights in case of disagreements in the exercise of parental authority over children and legal guardianship over their children’s property, as well as in the administration and enjoyment of community and conjugal property.

Under the bills, instead of just allowing the “husband’s decision to prevail” in case of disagreements, both spouses should make earnest efforts to settle their differences. But should they fail to reach a compromise, either of them shall have recourse to the court for proper remedy.

“Both parents should always decide upon matters on rearing and guidance of their children. It is their shared responsibility to ensure that the best interest of their children is upheld at all times. This, however, cannot be achieved when, by law, the father's view always prevails in cases of disagreement with the mother's opinion,” Gabriela Party List Representative Arlene Brosas said during the hearing.

“Amendments are necessary to preserve the heart of these articles to ensure the fair joint administration of conjugal or community property of the wife and the husband. Not only will this encourage harmony between them, but will also help preserve and safeguard their conjugal or community properties from unilateral and reckless decisions often resorted to when conflict occurs between the wife and the husband,” she added.

“These proposed amendments adhere to our international commitments in the Fourth World Conference on Women Declaration (Beijing, 1995), CEDAW, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, thereby taking a huge step for ensuring fundamental equality before the law of men and women,” Brosas noted.

Evangelist and CIBAC Party List Representative Eddie Villanueva expressed his opposition to the bills, saying it is “against the interest of preserving the solidarity and harmony of the family.”

“We cannot expect to have a vibrant society if its basic units – the families – are vulnerable to collapse and are disjointed due to struggles and bitterness brought by legal problems catalyzed by a proposed legislation that has a destabilizing lure and effect to the family,” he said in a statement.

Villanueva’s sentiment is shared by representatives of Christian groups, who spoke at Wednesday’s hearing.

“It was drafted in line with the Filipino culture… It is only in case of disagreement that preference is given to the husband. What is wrong with that? He is the head of the family. That is our Filipino culture… These bills seem pro-women, but they are more of a guise in giving women additional authority, which will lead to hostility between couples,” Philippines for Jesus Movement lawyer Mary Traje said.

“Many Christian families feel that the bills will be a concoction for litigation… Do not rock the boat," Philippine Council for Evangelical Churches lawyer Aldwin Salumbides added.

Brosas and Committee Chairperson Representative Geraldine Roman defended the bills.

“No less than the Constitution recognizes the role of women in nation-building as it must ensure the fundamental equality before the law of men and women,” the Gabriela Party List solon said.

“Bakit laging babae ang nahihirapan? ‘Yan ba ang Filipino traditions and customs? I don’t think so,” Romand added.

“There are a lot of women who are solo parents. Women na five, ten, twenty years na hindi nakakausap ang asawa. Paano mo mahahanap yun?” PBA Party List Representative Margarita Nograles noted.

Representatives of relevant government agencies, the academe, and organizations on women and human rights also gave their approval of the bills.

The panel also approved on Wednesday bills seeking to establish resource development and crisis assistance centers for women and children in every province and city in the country.