Divorce Bill pushed anew in Congress

Gabriela Women’s Party-list group breathed life yesterday into the bill seeking to legalize divorce in the country, even as advocates and lobby groups asked Congress to prioritize the passage of the prowomen’s measure.

Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas appealed to their colleagues to give due attention to their bill, saying that its passage is long overdue.

“It is high time that the state give couples in abusive and irreparable marriages the option to divorce. We hope that this time, both Houses of Congress will finally approve the Divorce Bill,” they said, noting that three out of five Filipinos are in favor of legalizing divorce.

Since the 13th Congress, the Gabriela party-list group has been pushing for the passage of the bill, citing the plight of women who are in disastrous marriages.

Conditions for divorce Under House Bill 2380, divorce shall be granted under the following conditions: the petitioner has been separated de facto from his or her spouse for at least 5 years at the time of the filing of the petition and reconciliation is highly improbable; the petitioner has been legally separated from the spouse for at least 2 years at the time of the filing and reconciliation is highly improbable; when any of the grounds for legal separation has caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage; when one or both spouses are psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations; and when the spouses suffer from irreconcilable differences that have caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage.

De Jesus expressed hope that their rights - based measure will be immediately referred to the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality to jumpstart the debates on the legalization of divorce in the country.

Meantime, Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro noted that with divorce, a couple won't put much thought into marriage anymore since they will always have an "easy way out". (With a report from Ellson A. Quismorio)