Divorce Bill by Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — House Bill 1799,  authored by Rep.Luz Ilagan of Gabriela Party-list, revives earlier initiatives to legalize divorce in the country. While the bill has its merits, many of which have been debated over the years, its timing may be questionable as it could take time that would be spent on the Reproductive Health bill.

This could then dilute the importance of the latter, another contentious legislation.  Rep. Ilagan is reported to have  been inspired by the example of Malta, a small island, predominantly Catholic and conservative, but which had the courage to vote “Yes” to a divorce law at its recent referendum. Should the bill be ratified in the parliament, it would mean that the Philippines would be the only country (together with the Vatican City) to forbid divorce.

But the proponents could perhaps shelve the divorce bill for the nonce while they concentrate on the RH bill which undoubtedly ranks higher in our hierarchy of priority of survival concerns.

While the divorce bill, in the opinion of some pundits, primarily affect the middle class (the rich upper class can always opt for annulment or go for a “quickie” divorce abroad while the poor do not care much about legalizing their union), the RH bill affects everyone whose survival depends on balanced population growth rate.

Many sectors have spoken on the necessity for passing it into law. It is time now to consolidate the arguments and find a way to reconcile the differences between the anti-RH movement, led by the CBCP and some Catholic lay leaders, and the majority who believe that we can never put an end to hunger and poverty unless we take this courageous step of radically reducing the number of children born every year.

These two bills have some bearing on the nature of our secular democracy or the separation of Church and State. Secularism is the belief that government or other entities should exist separately from religion. It is the right to be free from religious rule or right to freedom from government imposition from the people.

But what defines our type of secularism is that the State is mandated to respect the freedom of all religions, and to recognize religion as a moral compass that is necessary in helping the people attain  their full potential in a democracy

I am saddened to hear about the resignation of a man who represents the embodiment of a true public servant – competent, honest, consistent in belief and action, trustworthy, and accountable. I first met former Sec. Ping de Jesus in 1976 when I was a fellow at the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Ping who was then Senior Vice President. was responsible in overseeing the implementation of the CESO, the career executive system, and HRD programs for various government agencies. I followed his subsequent career path — during President Cory’s administration, first as Education undersecretary, Cabinet secretary, and Public Works secretary, and later in corporate settings as president of Meralco, among others.

Always modest and unassuming, there has not been  a single stint of scandal associated with him.

My deepest condolences to the family of another colleague – former Constitutional Commissioner Regalado E. Maambong,  who quietly passed away last week. Dodong was Comelec Commissioner  and Justice of the Court of Appeals, and before that a practicing lawyer.

He, together with Commissioners Blas Ople, Teodulo Natividad, and Rustico Reyes, were the four appointed from the Marcos bureaucracy by President Cory.   Until recently, he was professorial lecturer at the Judicial Academy, where among others, he provided technical assistance to members of our institute staff on some projects related to access to justice and judicial reforms.

One of his legacies for which he is remembered with much appreciation is his skillful editing of the 1987 Constitution.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/321734/divorce-bill

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My stand, as a student, on DIVORCE BILL!

Nowadays, some people think that divorce should not be implemented in our country but there are indeed other people who believe that divorce is one of the most effective ways to gain liberty from your husbands/wives. According to Jimmy Carter that “ If we want less government, we must have stronger families, for government steps in by necessity when families have failed." Do you think this has a point? Do we think that government should be involved in this issue? And do we believe that divorce is a good way of portraying democracy in our country? It has been debated by many but the real question goes like this, are you PRO or ANTI?

As a student, I strongly agree that Divorce bill should be implemented in our country not because I’m not a family oriented person, but because I know that this can help our nation build a healthy democratic life.

At first I was Anti divorce bill. Why? Because I was raised to understand that marriage is sacred and it should be cherished and MUST stay forever... till death do you part as the matrimonial rites would say.

First of all, my stand on being pro-divorce was influenced simply by my observations. A husband and wife fight everyday due to some reasons like; there's a third party, the husband often beats the wife, the wife is not a good wife as she goes to spa or parlor everyday and goes home late at night, the husband is vicious: he drinks a lot, he smokes a lot and he parties a lot; the husband is a drug addict, the wife is a nagger and always badmouths her husband, the wife forgets her emotional or sexual responsibility, the husband is not a good financial provider, the husband is psychologically incapacitated or the wife maybe and others. These are facts that should be taken into consideration by our solons or lawmakers to pass a divorce bill. These are irreconcilable differences and will never make a family life blissful. 

In addition, I am a Catholic and I understand that the sacrament of marriage must be kept sacred and holy but the facts mentioned are making the marriage itself chaotic and messy. I don't think a husband and wife can stand a daily fight, badmouthing each other and sometimes go a little physical throughout their married life. I certainly don't think a husband will be patient enough listening to the daily "long oratorical speech" of his wife, nagging,shouting and crying out all the misfortunes of her life. It's painful to see couples making quarelling and hitting each other a daily routine. It's even more painful to see a man keeping his mouth shut or just walked out the house and stay outside overnight to avoid his wife's loud mouth or to see a guy drowning himself into alcohol because of disappointment in his married life. It's saddening to think that these things are happening, but what else can we do? Let's just accept the fact that maybe it's now meant for us that's why divorce bill is here to help us.  

You may ask, what will happen with the children? Children don’t prosper in unhappy homes.

A progressive marriage is an adventure, not a sacrifice. It isn’t a string around one’s neck but a partnership that allows growth and satisfaction. Sadly, we’re living in a culture where mistakes are punished. Instead of encouraging second or even third chances, and allowing a person to rebuild his life, a person caught in a bad marriage is simply expected to endure.

Finally, this bill does not promote divorce mentality. It promotes liberty in every home and family.Divorce pertains to the legal dissolution of the marriage. Whether or not the church recognizes it is its own funeral. The important thing, for any aggrieved spouse at least, is that divorce grants him or her certain rights and deprives the other of certain rights too.

            
            Remember, Life is not difficult to live, go the easy way and enjoy!