House refiles absolute divorce bills in 20th Congress
Bills on absolute divorce have been reintroduced in the 20th Congress of the House of Representatives.
On June 30, 4Ps party-list Rep. JC Abalos, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co have refiled bills pushing for the legalization of divorce.
"As we all know, dalawa lamang ang bansa sa buong mundo kung saan bawal ang divorce—the Philippines and the Vatican. If we were to look at our legal system today, we already acknowledge that not all marriages are perfect, and we acknowledge that marriages can be broken,” Abalos told the media on July 1.
He noted that while there are annulment and legal separation, it is important to give those trapped in toxic relationships a chance to break away and start anew.
“Magandang bigyan po natin ng pagkakataon na makapag simula ulit ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Abalos further clarified that legalizing divorce is not intended to encourage married couples to seek one.
“[Napakaimportante] ng sanctity of marriage. What we’re just saying here is we must acknowledge the struggles of our countrymen na nasa-struck sa mga ganitong toxic relationships,” he stressed.
In the explanatory note in House Bill No. 108, Abalos highlighted a study that showed that approximately 17.5% of Filipino women between 15 and 49 years old have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from their partners.
There are also at least 41% individuals suffering from gender-based violence who opt not to seek help.
"The bill aims to provide spouses in irreparably broken marriages a legal avenue for dissolution, thereby safeguarding children from marital strife and empowering vulnerable spouses, particularly in abusive relationships, to rebuild their lives," Abalos said.
Meanwhile, Tinio and Co's HB No. 210 enumerated the grounds for absolute divorce, including psychological incapacity of either spouse, drug abuse or habitual alcoholism, homosexuality or bisexuality of the respondent, irreconcilable marital differences, and physical abuse, among others.
The Absolute Divorce Bill was approved on final reading by the lower chamber in the 19th Congress, but it’s still pending in the Senate.
