New Law Mandates DSWD to Assist Victims of Mail-Order Spouse

The Republic Act 10906 or an Act Providing Stronger Measures Against Unlawful, Practices, Businesses and Schemes of Matching and Offering Filipinos to Foreign Nationals for Purposes of Marriage or Common Law partnership, Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act No. 6955, also Referred to as the “Anti-Mail Order Bride Law”, mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide preventive, protective and rehabilitative programs for victims of mail-order spouse and other schemes as stated in Section 6 of the law.

Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre says Section 6 also stated that DSWD will also provide basic services to victims such as temporary shelter or housing and food, psychological support and counseling, 24-hour call center for crisis calls and technology-based counseling and referral system, assistance in coordination with local enforcement entities and assistance in coordination with the Department of Justice, among others.

As stipulated in Section 3 of the law it is illegal for anyone to engage in (a) businesses matching a Filipino to a foreigner for marriage or common law partnership on a mail-order basis, personal introduction, email, or websites on the internet; (b) exhibit, advertise, publish, print, or distribute, or cause the exhibition, advertisement, publication, printing, or distribution of brochures, flyers, or propaganda materials, which are calculated to promote the prohibited acts in the preceding paragraph, or to post, advertise, or upload such materials through websites on the internet; (c) solicit, enlist, or in any manner, attract or induce any Filipino to become a member in any club or association whose objective is to match Filipino nationals to foreign nationals for the purpose of marriage or common law partnership for a fee; and (d) to use the postal service or any website on the internet to promote the prohibited acts.

As provided for in the law, the DSWD, in coordination with the local government units (LGUs) shall likewise provide a case management service and develop a system for accreditation among non-government organizations (NGOs) for purposes of establishing centers and programs for intervention in various levels of the community.

Moreover, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will lead the crafting of implementing the Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this law, in coordination with other organizations like Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and Non-government organizations (NGOs), which are exposed in assisting the victims of Mail-Order Marriage and other Schemes.

The Republic Act 10906 lapsed into law on July 21, 2016 in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Philippine Constitution which is also known as Anti-Mail Order Spouse law.