CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, Philippines — The Diocese of Cabanatuan on Sunday, Feb. 23, urged Congress to rethink a measure allowing divorce in the country.
Addressing a consolidated bill for “absolute divorce” which was approved by the House Committee on Population and Family Relations on Feb. 5, Sunday Masses espoused Bishop Sofronio Bancud’s pastoral message that “no one can break up what God has put together.”
Bancud expressed concern over reports that the bill was set for plenary deliberations after it got the committee’s nod.
“Muli kaming nakikiusap sa ating mga mambabatas – ang mga kinatawan ng taong bayan – na bigyan ng sapat na panahon upang pag-isipan at pagnilayang mabuti ang isyung ito. Mabigyan nawa ng patas at makatuwirang diskusyon ang panukalang ito upang mas makitang mabuti ang malagim na epekto ng diborsiyo sa ating pagkatao, sa mga pamilya, at sa buong lipunan,” Bancud wrote.
[We the people again appeal to our lawmakers — the representatives of the people — to give more time to reflect and study this issue. May there be a fair and reasonable discussion of this proposal so that we could clearly see the terrible effects of divorce on our personality, our families, and the whole of society.]
The bishop said news about the latest attempt to legalize divorce in the country has upset him.
“Because divorce is against the Christian faith and what Filipinos value,” he explained in Filipino.
The new divorce measure was designed to address failed marriages which sometimes trigger domestic violence, but Bancud asserted that the Family Code had already established a process for annulment.
“Sa diborsiyo, magiging madali sa mga mag-asawa na piliin ang paghihiwalay kaysa magsumikap na tuklasin ang mas nararapat na mga paraan para sa ipagkakasundo ng mag-asawa at ikapagkakaisa ng pamilya,” Bancud said.
[Divorce makes it easy for couples to chose separation instead of pursuing ways of mending their relationships and maintaining their families.]
/atm