Are we ready for divorce Philippine style?
If living-in and common law relationships are gaining
acceptance, then why not allow divorce. I am no hypocrite, I say yes to
Divorce!
Gone are the days when staying in an utterly loveless,
debilitating marriage is a perpetual must and leaving is weakness. We
must accept that there are really times when people grow apart and they cannot
reconcile their differences or ultimately gave up trying to. Is it wise to
punish them?
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| Divorce remains to be a very contentious issue for the country, where deep Church teachings are ingrained in the Filipino DNA.(photo credit to owner) |
Marriage as defined in our Family Code is a special
contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in
accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life. This is
a confining truth, likened to a death sentence in all aspects.
During the opening of the second
session of the 17th Congress, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez filed a bill providing for the legal dissolution of
marriage as one of the House’s priority legislative measures.
Thank the stars that this solon who
has placed this bill as a priority. This issue is by far better, than what is
currently, almost always investigated by the Congress - in aid of legislation, drugs, Extra Judicial Killings,
graft, which after a while dies naturally.
Lawmakers must look at the bigger picture.. this is not only
an issue personal to the individuals in quandary but imbued with public
interest. Family is the foundation of our nation and marriage is the foundation
of family.
Where the foundation is weakened by the walls erected by
irreconcilable differences which are too high to climb and too strong to breach
the family will collapse, taking down everything in the union. The result is a
weak society, open to elements that corrupt morality and adheres to
lawlessness.
Case in point are the killings recently involving minors.
Claims have been made that these minors are among those who are involved in
drugs and other crimes. We are witnesses to the gruesome aftermath, but as to
what really happened we can only speculate. But let us consider for a moment,
if these boys were at home with their families, would the ending be the same.
If these boys were guided by their parents would they be in contravention with
the law. Would they have been out at night, on that fateful night they've lost
their lives.
The issue of providing a more accessible manner of ending a
union which has long been ended by the parties is a balm to the wound brought
by wrong choices and wrong decisions. Marriage vows are promises which the
parties make and are personal to the person making the vow, “for richer or
poorer, in sickness and in health till death do us part”. But consider this,
what if because of keeping this promise you endanger yourself, your children
and their future, would it not be a crime too if you allow this injustice done.
We do not live in a dream world where fairy tales and happy
endings are sure to happen, problems are real and need real solutions. The
pronouncements of the religious sector deserves considerable weight but
should not control the determination of laws that needed to be passed, because
these should be determined by the current situations. The passing of this into
a law will align us to a proactive social institution that really takes into
consideration the needs of its people.
Future generations
will benefit on this legislation because by the time they decide to settle
down, they know they will always have a choice if everything else fails.
Their children will be legitimate from birth and property and successional
rights will automatically be governed by our family laws. Bluntly putting it,
“this is a win – win situation”. The parties have the choice of marrying each
other legally than living in, though already gaining acceptability is still not
the same as being married and afforded the protections of law as a spouse.
By Laly P.
with a Report from PhilStar 7/25/2017
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