Divorce bill revived in House | The Philippine Star >> News >> Headlines

Divorce bill revived in House | The Philippine Star >> News >> Headlines

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez also objected to the bill, saying “that is like giving a married couple a Weapon of Mass Destruction that they can use against each other even for petty, solvable marital problems.”

He said half of his classmates at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis ended up divorcing their spouses just a few years after getting married.


Divorce bill revived in House
By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated August 12, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0)


MANILA, Philippines - The Gabriela women’s party-list group has revived a measure legalizing divorce in the country to give couples in “irreparable marriages” another legal remedy in addition to the country’s existing laws on legal separation and annulment.

Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana de Jesus filed House Bill 1799 or “An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines” that drew strong opposition and little support from their colleagues in the House of Representatives.

The bill states five grounds for the filing of a petition for divorce. According to the measure, couples who may apply for divorce include those who have been separated in fact for five years and those already legally separated for two years.

Grounds for legal separation may also apply when these same grounds have already caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage. In addition, psychological incapacity, causing one’s failure to comply with essential marital obligations, and irreconcilable differences causing the irreparable breakdown of the marriage are also recognized as grounds for divorce, the bill said.

“We cannot ignore the fact that existing laws just do not suffice. Getting an annulment can be very expensive while legal separation will not give estranged couples the right to remarry,” Ilagan said.

The measure’s explanatory note further elaborates on the need for a measure to address the commission of violence in marital relations.

Official figures from the Philippine National Police in 2009 showed that 19 women fall victim to marital violence every day. Among the forms of violence and abuse against women committed in 2009, wife battery ranked the highest at 6,783 cases or 72 percent.

“For women in abusive marital relationships, the need for a divorce law is real. It is high time that we give Filipino couples, especially the women, this option,” De Jesus said.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga strongly opposed the bill, saying “the family is the foundation of a good citizenry.”

“Allowing absolute divorce would undoubtedly weaken the solidarity of the family. It would also encourage married couples who have differences to immediately seek divorce, though differences can still be reconciled,” Barzaga said.

He said he anticipates various religious groups to lobby against the bill. “I still adhere to the biblical saying that what God had join together, let no man put asunder.”

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez also objected to the bill, saying “that is like giving a married couple a Weapon of Mass Destruction that they can use against each other even for petty, solvable marital problems.”

He said half of his classmates at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis ended up divorcing their spouses just a few years after getting married.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara warned that allowing divorce could lead to the proliferation of “gold diggers” and broken families.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, however, backed the measure, saying the Philippines is the only country with no divorce law.

“Let’s join the 20th century,” Bello said.

Additional benefits

In a related development, Sen. Loren Legarda wants amendments to the 10-year-old Solo Parents Act, giving additional benefits for single parents.

In filing Senate Bill 1439, Legarda proposed that single parents be provided a 10-percent discount on all purchases of clothing and clothing materials for the child for two years from child birth; 15 percent discount from all purchases of baby’s milk, food and food supplements; and 15 percent discount from all purchases of medicine and other medical supplements/ supplies for the child.

Legarda, who has been legally separated twice, also sought basic personal exemption from individual income tax.

“A solo parent refers to a parent who is left alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to death, detention, mental incapacity or legal separation with spouse. It also refers to women who became pregnant due to abuse,” she said.

Legarda cited “double hardship” that single parents face in raising their children.

“They perform parental duties single-handedly in the face of economic turmoil that is characterized by skyrocketing prices, poverty and massive unemployment,” she added.

Legarda proposed the amendments to Republic Act No. 8972, otherwise known as the Solo Parent’s Welfare Act of 2000, to address the financial concerns of solo parents amidst the economic difficulties that the country is experiencing.”