Tarlac's Pre-Marriage Counseling

Presidential Decree No. 965 July 20, 1976
A decree requiring applicant for marriage license to receive instructions on family planning and responsible parenthood
http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1976/pd_965_1976.html
Before applying for our marriage license, we attended a Marriage Preparation seminar in CEFAM where we received two certificates (1) Cana Seminar Participation, and (2) Family Planning Seminar Participation.

But when we were applying for our marriage license in Tarlac City, they wouldn't accept our Family Planning Seminar Participation certificate because, "dapat kasi government issued." ([The certificate] should be government issued.)

 That is just too contestable. But whatever. We went to Tarlac City government's Marriage Preparation Counseling that started at 8am and ended at 4pm. Removing the 1.5 hours of lunch break, that was 6.5 hours of nonsense.

8am is the call time. They give each couple a form to fill up with basic information like your names, your parents' names, your birthdates, etc. Then to fill up 8am-9:30am two things are happening simultaneously:

First: Ms. Garcia "interviews" the couple. The most common one is "What is your mother's maiden name?" (I would have loved to answer "Why didn't you ask that in your information sheet?"), her next favorite question is "Where are you going to stay after you get married?" A valid question with no expected valid answer. She just laughs at those who couldn't answer the question.

Second: Mr. Edgar gives each participant a name tag, which is a cut out from a bond paper with your nickname written on it using a marker. Then he asks for Php45 without telling you what it's for. (We know what it's for, we've seen this happen all too often.) Then he tells you to fill up the attendance sheet. Attendance sheet? Really? After you asked us to fill an information sheet per couple?

9.30am. Ms. Emerita Dizon officially opens the seminar with a prayer.

  • Anti-gay sentiments: only a male and a female can get married
  • law dictates we have to take the marriage preparation counseling
  • strengths and weaknesses (don't hurt yourself thinking about this; all she did was ask couples what your partner's strengths, and what is your partner's weaknesses)
I don't know how you fill up 30 minutes with those two items but she did.

The television at the back of the room is blaring.

10am to 11.30am. 10 Ingredients to a Happy Marriage


  1. Love
  2. Care
  3. Trust
  4. Respect
  5. Honesty
  6. Loyalty
  7. Sincerity
  8. Thoughtfulness
  9. Understanding
  10. Cooperation
11.30am to 1pm Lunch break

1pm to 4pm. Ms Evelyn Garcia
  1. Review of Law
  2. Goals and Objectives
  3. Marriage
  4. Human Sexuality
  5. Maternal child care and nutrition
  6. Family planning
  7. Responsible parenthood
  8. Home management and budgeting
She runs through the list but does not discuss anything in detail -- at least not in the detail that is acceptable for a 3 hour government seminar.

The only family planning method she endorses is the use of condoms.

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