Yet there is an unusual level of bipartisan support for the divorce bill — a concern of the Catholic Church. Even though every country in the world, except ours, has legalized divorce, it is not a compelling reason for us to have it. If our Constitution is the only one in the world that guarantees the protection of the institution of marriage as a lasting and enduring union, then this unique and fundamental law should be something we can be proud of! (Article XV, paragraph 2: “Marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and is protected by the State”). Meanwhile, for Sari Han, if the divorce bill becomes law, couples would benefit. If enough Filipinos publicly show that they support a divorce bill, populist Duterte could join. Some observers suspect that giving people what they want while giving the Church a black eye, could be a second that Duterte simply cannot resist. When asked why couples stay in toxic relationships, the most common answer given by women is the best interests of their children. They don`t know that the effects of dysfunctional marriage on children are deeply worrying. Studies show that children who grow up with arguments tend to experience stress, unhappiness and insecurity. With male children, when they see their father regularly show aggressive and controlling treatment towards their mother, they are more likely to engage in this behavior because they think women should be treated this way. Among girls, they are more likely to perceive this aggression as normal and acceptable. As a result, they could enter the same abusive marital lifestyle later in life. Currently, the only legal procedure similar to divorce in the Philippines is the annulment letter, which declares a marriage invalid from the outset.
To be considered null and void from the outset, a marriage must meet one of the following criteria: “Absence of the essential requirements of marriage – consent and legal capacity of the parties, bigamous marriages, incestuous marriages or psychological incapacity,” according to Calleja Law (n.d.). 9. A recent poll found that 60% of Filipinos want divorce legalized. Why does the Catholic Church still insist on not legalizing what most Filipinos (including their flock) urge them to do? Not allowing divorce as a legal option is like not allowing emergency exits in a building. Imagine there was a fire, but the building owner didn`t have emergency exits in place because they “don`t believe it” and you were expected to continue to manage the fire, not escape. Always imagine a building infested with toxic mold, but that you are not allowed to evacuate because others could not understand why you did not have the will to cure it. Hopefully, most people won`t have to use emergency exits in their lives. And you`ll be happy that it`s there when you need it.
The House Population and Family Relations Committee approved the absolute divorce bill, which allows it to go to plenary for debate. This is the next thing we have done to finally give people full freedom to decide the course of their relationships. As a predominantly Catholic nation, this will naturally provoke fierce conflict and culturally just indignation deeply rooted. However, as someone who works with families, I would like to make a few comments on this issue. A marriage breakdown does not mean an invalid marriage. This may mean that the parties involved should wake up and reconcile instead of thinking that their marriage must end. Although attraction may have led to an appointment, it must turn into a commitment, a covenant, something spiritual. Pleasure without obligation is not love at all. Human love must become conjugal love, whose characteristic is complementarity, a convergence of aspirations and dreams.
Divorce is a betrayal of love. This is precisely why it is important for children to learn fidelity and commitment of marriage from their own parents. MANILA, Philippines – Is the predominantly Catholic Philippines ready for divorce? On Tuesday, Rappler had a conversation about legalizing divorce in the country, and netizens seemed to have conflicting opinions about it. For Joy Marcial, legalizing divorce would give a person trapped in an abusive and unhealthy relationship a chance to start a new life. There may be an urgent need for professional help with a marriage counselor to help them resolve it. Unfortunately, there are spouses who may refuse to give advice. Problems are part of life. The existence of marital difficulties can be a way for them to work on their love and respect for each other.
They must not only rekindle their affection, but also learn to forgive one another, for mercy is the perfection of love. In the absence of a legal divorce, Filipino lawmakers fail to protect women and children who are victims of violence. Women make up 49.5% of the Filipino population, but their decisions are controlled by religiously influenced laws, ironically in an independent secular country. In a country without divorce, the majority of married women are reluctant to seek annulment because they are financially dependent on their husbands. It is too risky for women to divorce, especially if their children still need financial support from them. In a predominantly Catholic country, the strong position of the Church may be the main reason why the Philippines, along with Vatican City, is one of the few sovereign states to prohibit divorce. While Vatican City has only 900 inhabitants, most people being members of the clergy, the Philippines is home to more than a hundred million people. The Philippines also recorded 431,972 marriages in 2019. Besides Vatican City, the Philippines is the only country in the world that does not have a divorce law. (READ: [NOTICE| Shot SAS] The Divorce Law: Love, Sex and Marriage Legislation) Cornelio says a divorce bill is a reasonable and even “inevitable” next step after the passage of the country`s Reproductive Health Act in 2013, which gave poorer Filipinos in particular access to birth control. Many congregations have been slow to implement the Reproductive Health Act, which took more than a decade – a testament to the power the church still enjoys.
2. The Philippines is now the ONLY country (apart from the Vatican) where divorce is not legal. Isn`t that strange enough? Eva Minda Molon-Basas Pangatungan said the Philippines has legal annulment and separation, and that should be enough. “If you don`t believe in it and you don`t want a divorce, don`t get one. But don`t deprive others of the chance to start over and start a new chapter after years of being trapped in a bad marriage,” Marcial wrote. At the hearing, Hontiveros said Filipinos, especially women and children, “should be freed from abusive and loveless relationships” to have another chance in life. (READ: Hontiveros: Divorce law is `pro-family, pro-children`) How about you? Are you in favor of legalizing divorce in the Philippines? Why or why not? – Rappler.com The Supreme Court of the Philippines recently ruled that Filipinos married to foreigners can divorce abroad and be recognized as such in their country. In addition, Filipinos seem to be less conservative than the laws they regulate.
More than half think divorce should be legal, according to surveys conducted in 2017 by Social Weather Stations (SWS), an opinion research firm. Seven out of ten support a law allowing the government to distribute contraceptives to the poor, which was enacted in 2012 but has not yet been fully implemented. Many Filipinos are openly gay. Manila`s annual Pride parade drew 70,000 participants last year despite the rain. Gay Filipinos are successful in all sorts of careers, from music to sports. In 2016, a transgender woman won the election to Congress. Last year, she was re-elected with 91% of the vote. As it is often seen as unfair or too complicated due to its many specific conditions, many Filipinos have called for the legalization of divorce in order to have an easier and less complicated way to withdraw an unsuccessful marriage. The Philippine legal system has been in place against it for more than 70 years, but recently, Bills 100, 838 and 2263, the bills introducing divorce, were approved by a House committee.
Nevertheless, we remain firmly convinced that divorce must continue to be prohibited in our country. Love is both a feeling and an action. Love as a feeling can change. I don`t know which Hallmark writer decided that love should be forever. However, the act of loving is under your control and something you can commit to. In accepting the nature of feelings, we must accept the possibility that, despite our best intentions, we may lose the sense of love for our spouse.
