Gloria James-Civetta, Head of Family Law at Gloria James-Civetta & Co, and Sheryl Keith Sandhu, Head of Expatriate Family Law, attended the IAFL Introduction to International Family Law Conference, held in Manila, Philippines, on 12 October 2026.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Chapter of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), the conference brought together family law practitioners to exchange knowledge, discuss cross-border family law issues and strengthen professional connections across jurisdictions.

For Sheryl, who has Filipino heritage, the event provided a particularly meaningful opportunity to connect with legal practitioners in the Philippines, strengthen professional relationships and deepen her understanding of family law matters affecting Filipino families living overseas.

A Timely Conference Following Changes to Philippine Family Law Procedures

The conference was particularly timely following the Philippine Supreme Court’s announcement on 7 October 2026 of amendments simplifying the judicial recognition of qualifying foreign divorces.

Under the new procedures, Filipino spouses seeking recognition of a foreign divorce will no longer be required to separately prove the applicable foreign divorce law when filing their petition, potentially reducing procedural difficulties and costs. Judicial recognition by a Philippine court will still be required.

These developments are especially relevant to Filipino nationals living and working in Singapore, particularly those married to foreign nationals who may need a Singapore divorce recognised in the Philippines.

For GJC Law, maintaining professional connections with Philippine family law practitioners strengthens our ability to assist Filipino clients in Singapore with cross-border divorce matters, including understanding how proceedings in one jurisdiction may affect their legal position in another.

The participation of Gloria and Sheryl reflects GJC Law’s continued commitment to professional development, international collaboration and providing informed legal guidance to Singapore’s diverse expatriate and Filipino communities.