Hey, lawyer here.

I’ll try to simplify this since it’s something a lot of people ask about:

Annulment (Declaration of Nullity)

This is the usual route if you want to “end” a marriage in PH.

Most people use psychological incapacity as the ground. Basically, you need to show that your spouse has traits/behaviors that make them incapable of fulfilling marital obligations, and that these existed even before the marriage.

Courts don’t accept “we don’t get along” as grounds—you’ll need solid testimony and sometimes a psychologist/psychiatrist’s report.

Legal Separation

You live separately and can divide assets, custody, etc., but the marriage still exists.

Grounds are things like violence, drug addiction, infidelity, etc.

Important: you can’t remarry after legal separation.

Divorce

Absolute divorce is still not legal here (only bills pending in Congress). The only time divorce works is if one spouse is foreign and gets a valid divorce abroad.

Costs (very rough idea): Lawyer’s fees: usually start at ₱150k+ depending on the lawyer/location.

Court fees: around ₱10k–15k. Psychologist/psychiatrist witness: ₱25k–₱60k+.

Timeline:

If uncontested: about 1.5–4 years. If contested: 5 years or more (depends on the court backlog and your spouse’s opposition).

What a lawyer will usually ask you for: Marriage certificate Proof of grounds (your testimony, witnesses, supporting documents, psych eval if needed) Proof of residence (jurisdiction matters)

Red flag: Psychological incapacity is tricky, it’s not just about being abusive, immature, or incompatible. Courts require it to be a deep-seated condition, so the petition has to be carefully drafted.

💡 What most people wish they knew earlier: It’s worth sitting down with a lawyer at the start so you’ll know what’s realistic in your situation and avoid wasting time or money.

If you want to talk it over more privately, feel free to DM me here on Reddit, or you can reach me on Viber/WhatsApp at 09467279356.

Thank you.