Only Phl, Vatican ban divorce — Speaker

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez vowed to pass before the Lenten break of Congress on March 23 the proposed divorce bill as he insisted yesterday that the Philippines and the Vatican are the only places on earth that still ban divorce.

Alvarez told radio station dzMM that only the Philippines and the Vatican have no divorce law.

He said that his commitment is to pass the consolidated version of the bill on third and final reading before the lawmakers take their Lenten break.

He pointed out that while there is no divorce in the Vatican, “wala naman pong may asawa duon kasi puro lang po sila pari duon (nobody is married there since they are all priests).”

The Philippines is predominantly Catholic and at least 85 percent of the population of about 104 million practice the faith, compared to the measly 801 population (as of 2018) of the 44-hectare Vatican City.

Alvarez made the statement following a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations on the divorce bill that showed 53 percent of respondents supported the proposed measure while 32 percent were against and 15 percent still undecided.

Anticipating strong opposition from the Catholic Church, Alvarez urged the bishops to limit their anti-divorce campaign to the Catholic faithful and not include other religions that are fully sup- portive of the divorce measure.

A still unnumbered substitute bill entitled “An Act Providing for Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage” would integrate House Bill 6027 of Alvarez, House Bill 116 of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, House Bill 1062 of Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and House Bill 2380 of the women’s party-list group Gabriela.

The final legislation seeks to provide troubled couples a legal way out. The measure has been sent to the House plenary for its possible amendments and approval.

Also yesterday, proponents of the divorce bill started their sponsorship speech on the measure now being debated upon in the House plenary, prior to its approval for second and its eventual adoption on third and final reading.

Main authors Lagman, Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano, and Rep. Emmie de Jesus of Gabriela each moved to push for the measure’s approval, which is being blocked by Reps. Lito Atienza of party-list Buhay and Raul del Mar of Cebu.

“Marriage, even as it is proclaimed an inviolable institution, is not impervious to demise, predeceasing the spouses. It is still basically a human institution, which in some instances, may collapse and wither because of human frailties and mortal limitations,” Lagman stated.

“Verily, some marriages are shattered beyond repair even as the state endeavors to protect and preserve marriage,” he argued.