HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Sunday called for the legalization of same-sex marriages and support for heterosexual couples just wanting to live together but not getting married.
He said he would file a bill to determine the rights of couples who wanted to live together but were not ready to get married.
“We will also take that up, the issue of those who do not want to get married but just want to live together,” Alvarez said.
“Right now, there is no law to protect the rights of the couple. We will pass a civil-union law to govern such relationship.”
The bill would protect the property rights, custodial rights over children and adoption rights for childless couple, he said.
“Even if the couple are not married, they still must possess the right to inherit, right to support and so many other rights.”
Alvarez’s proposal, if passed, would allow same-sex couples to adopt a child.
