House panel approves absolute divorce bill

[Old55]

House panel approves absolute divorce bill

 

MANILA – The House Committee on Population and Family Relations on Tuesday endorsed for plenary approval a bill reinstituting absolute divorce as an alternative mode for the dissolution of marriage in the Philippines.

During its virtual hearing, the committee unanimously approved the unnumbered substitute bill that would allow absolute divorce in the country.

In his sponsorship remarks, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said the bill seeks to reinstate absolute divorce because it was already practiced during the pre-Spanish times, the American colonial period, and during the Japanese occupation.

"Today is a momentous occasion for countless wives, who are battered and deserted, to regain their humanity, self-respect and freedom from irredeemably failed marriages and utterly dysfunctional unions,” Lagman said following the unanimous approval of the bill.

Lagman noted that no less than Speaker Lord Allan Velasco favors the enactment of a reinstituted absolute divorce law as he submitted the following perfecting amendments which are now incorporated in the substitute bill: provisions on court-assisted petitioners; community-based pre-nuptial and post-matrimonial programs; community-based women’s desks to provide assistance and support to victims of violence and abuse; and an appropriation language for the bill.

He said the grounds for legal separation, annulment of marriage, and nullification of marriage based on psychological incapacity under the Family Code of the Philippines are included as grounds for absolute divorce and were amended to make said grounds cover causes arising after the solemnization of the marriage.

The bill states that the other grounds for divorce include: separation in fact for at least five years at the time the petition for absolute divorce is filed; when one of the spouses undergoes a gender reassignment surgery or transitions from one sex to another; irreconcilable marital differences as defined in the bill; other forms of domestic or marital abuse which are also defined in the bill; valid foreign divorce secured by either the alien or Filipino spouse; and a marriage nullified by a recognized religious tribunal.

The effects of absolute divorce include the voiding of the marital union and capacitating the divorced spouses to remarry.

Lagman highlighted that the Philippines is the only country in the world today that outlaws absolute divorce, aside from the almost celibate Vatican City state.

"It is hard to believe that all the other countries collectively erred in instituting absolute divorce in varying degrees of liberality and limitations. An en masse blunder is beyond comprehension. An erroneous unanimity on such a crucial familial institution defies reason and experience. Obviously, the rest of the world cannot be mistaken on the universality of absolute divorce," he said. (PNA)

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1150751

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by Jollygoodfellow
Changed link

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Old55 said:

The House Committee on Population and Family Relations on Tuesday endorsed for plenary approval a bill reinstituting absolute divorce as an alternative mode for the dissolution of marriage in the Philippines.

Many a slip 'twixt cup and lip.  I shall believe it when Pres signs and gives a speech.  I am not sure how much weight a house committee carries.

[Old55]

Perhaps this is the start of eventual change?

Dave do you think the political power of the Church in Philippines is slowly declining?

[graham59]

Welcome to the 21st century... almost.  

Funny how, according to the above, only women suffer through bad marriages though ?  

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, Old55 said:

Dave do you think the political power of the Church in Philippines is slowly declining?

I think it will depend who the next President is.  Duterte is a bit biased, as he mentions in this 2 year old article, so he may sign that divorce bill.  Whoever comes next may be more pro-Catholic.

Quote

 

https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/01/20/news/top-stories/duterte-i-am-not-catholic-i-am-islam/499118

President Rodrigo Duterte had praise for Allah for the progress of the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), but he continued to lash out against members of the Catholic clergy.

Speaking before a Muslim-dominated crowd in a peace assembly for the BOL ratification in Cotabato City on Friday night, Duterte reiterated that he was not Catholic, criticizing its leaders, whom he called “crazy.”

“There is a part of me which is Islam actually. Kaya kung mag away-away kami ng mga buang na pari na ‘yan, hindi man ako Katoliko. Islam man. Totoo (That’s why even if I and those crazy priests bicker, I am not a Catholic. I’m Islam. It’s true),” he said in his speech.

poster  
“God must be good to us. The fact that we have reached this point after so many years of negotiation and interruptions. We are here. Insha’ Allah. God is great. Allahu Akbar,” Duterte added.

Duterte’s pronouncements came a day after Malacañang told Catholic Church leaders not to meddle in how the President runs the government.

 

 

[Tommy T.]

I don't remember when or where I read it, but the last time the idea of a law permitting divorce was promulgated a few years ago, Duterte went on record that he would not sign it, due in part to his daughter's opposition to it. Her position was that virtually any marriage could be healed and continue...

Good luck to this potential legislation, but I think it is DOA...

Edited August 18, 2021 by Tommy T.

[Mike J]

2 hours ago, graham59 said:

Welcome to the 21st century... almost.  

Funny how, according to the above, only women suffer through bad marriages though ?  

I was thinking the same thing.  Is there an opposite of misogyny?  I mean besides "all men are pigs", heard that one already from a female coworker.  I was just happy that she was not talking about me specifically. 

[sonjack2847]

On 8/18/2021 at 12:13 PM, Mike J said:

all men are pigs", heard that one already from a female coworker.  I was just happy that she was not talking about me specifically. 

Funny that, so why do they keep coming after us?

[Old55]

45 minutes ago, sonjack2847 said:

Funny that, so why do they keep coming after us?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Reboot]

The rest of the world is stupid.