Hontiveros: Divorce to uphold the dignity of family, marriage

MANILA, Philippines — Contrary to the arguments of the religious sector and other critics, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said divorce will actually uphold the dignity of the family as an institution and marriage.

Interviewed on ABS-CBN News Channel, Hontiveros said she believes that instead of veering away from talks on divorce, Filipinos will recognize that divorce is actually a way to show that marriages should be a “setting where love, commitment, taking care of each other, and the mutual growth of both spouses happens.”

“Kapag naging toxic and irreparably broken ‘yung relationship, kapag immersed sa toxic environment hindi lang ‘yung mag-asawa but yung mga bata (When the relationship has become toxic and irreparably broken, when the spouses and children are immersed in toxic environment), giving the spouses a second chance at life, love and commitment, giving the children a second chance at a happy family life is actually a way to uphold the dignity of the family and even of marriage,” she said.

In filing the Senate Bill No. 356 or the Divorce Act of 2019 calling for absolute divorce in the country, Hontiveros explained that except for the Vatican City, the Philippines is the only country worldwide where divorce is still considered illegal.

READ: Hontiveros renews struggle for divorce law

“I guess the big deal is siguro naman it’s not just us Filipinos who treasure love and commitment especially in family life and raising children. I suppose all humankind may pagpapahalaga doon. Impossible namang lahat sila ay mali dahil nagkaroon ng divorce law, tayo lang ang tama,” she said.

(I guess the big deal is that it’s not just the Filipinos who treasure love and commitment, especially in family life and raising children. I suppose all humankind have placed significance on that. It’s impossible that all of them were wrong and we were the only ones right.)

The senator also argued that the bill she had filed will favor both men and women still “stuck in their past” even if they have separated for years.

She said among the grounds for divorce in the bill she filed are separation of spouses for at least five years, irreconcilable differences, psychological incapacity, and marital rape. /muf