Divorce-free Phl: Badge or scourge

Only in the Philippines and, of course, the Vatican, divorce is not allowed, which the deeply religious carry as a badge of honor but which is increasingly turning into an aberration based on the reactions of participants at a forum held yesterday.

Divorce advocates and members of the academe came together at a symposium organized by the University of the Philippines College of Law to call on legislators to step up the passage of the Absolute Divorce Bill. The measure has been approved in the House of Representatives but is pending in the Senate.

One of the forum participants recounted the torture that he had been subjected to due to the absence of a divorce law.

Raffy Gutierrez, whose marriage was dissolved abroad, said he is not allowed to marry again in the Philippines.

“It’s very frustrating that my country is the only country where you cannot marry again (after obtaining a divorce somewhere),” Gutierrez said.

His ex-wife already has her own family in the United States, while he is barred from starting a new family.

“Are we (Filipinos) special? Or special somehow because of pride? What about those failed marriages? Those that involve physical abuse and abandonment?” he asked.

Gutierrez pointed out that the bill must be read in its entirety to understand its economic, health and social benefits.

“Why are they against it? Traditional beliefs do not make sense in modern times,” he stressed.

“We need some kind of awakening. Question your faith a little bit. Not everyone is happy with their marriage. Do we just have to endure it?” he said.

Basis needed

UP Professor E. Leo D. Battad of the College of Law and program director of the gender law and policy program, on the other hand, emphasized that there must be grounds for a divorce.

“There should be a submission of substantial evidence before a divorce is granted,” Battad explained.

She said a process should be followed before a divorce is allowed such as the couples’ active participation in public hearings called for reinstituting divorce.

More than half of the Filipino adult population are not in favor of legalizing divorce in the Philippines, according to a recent independent survey.

The survey conducted from 26 June to 1 July showed that 57 percent of adult Filipinos do not support the Absolute Divorce bill.

The poll said the figure indicated a six-percent increase from the 51 percent recorded in the third quarter of 2023.

Meanwhile, 39 percent of Filipinos favor legalizing divorce, a slight decrease of two percent from the previous survey. Four percent of the respondents were undecided on the matter.

By socioeconomic class, Classes ABC had the highest support for the divorce proposal at 53 percent, while dissent was highest in Classes D and E at 58 percent.

The survey also found that 55 percent of adult Filipinos will not vote for a candidate who promotes the legalization of divorce in the country, while 39 percent will vote for such a candidate.