Every nation in the world allows its residents to divorce under some conditions except
the Philippines (though Muslims in the Philippines have the right to divorce) and the Vatican
City, an ecclesiastical sovereign city-state, which has no procedure for divorce. In these two
countries, laws only allow annulment of marriages. Many Filipinos have different points of view
on it, some would agree and some may not. Women’s rights advocates have been pushing for a
divorce law in the Philippines. Meanwhile, one of the senators of the Philippines Risa
Honteveros filed an absolute divorce a bill before the Senate. This bill is very controversial as
there are opposing groups raising that this deviates from Filipino norm. According to Senator
Hontiveros the controversial bill is "pro-marriage, pro-family, and pro-children." The ratio
behind the absolute divorce bill is that Filipinos, especially women and children, "should be
free from abusive and loveless relationships" to be given another chance in life. "They, together
with their children, deserve all the chances available in this world to build nurturing families
and find true and meaningful relationships.

While Senator Pia Cayetano has filed also with her version. With this law to grant freedom,
some of the grounds for divorce under those proposals are physical violence, grossly abusive
conduct, drug addiction, habitual alcoholism, chronic gambling, homosexuality, bigamous
marriage and marital infidelity. An added measure in instituting absolute divorce in the country
propose a six-month cooling off period after couples file a petition for absolute divorce “as a
final attempt of reconciling the concerned spouses.” She added that that we shouldn’t make it
as easy as signing something and then we’re divorced. But at the same time, we need to
acknowledge the reality that people do have a right to move on, especially [if] the other person
is no longer committed.”

As we can glean from their proposed divorce law it sheds light to make things easier for
spouses in marriages that have gone awry, getting divorced would not be as easy as signing a
piece of paper, a senator assured. Still measures will be implemented and circumstances will be
weighed as to whether or not the absolute divorce bill will be granted. The existence of this bill
still gives hope for a renewed life.

On this issue, I think it is time for the Philippines to have a Divorce law now. Why? Because it is
time to give the freedom for those people who need it that came from a bad
relationship/marriage. A lot of women suffered emotionally, physically abused by the drug
addicts' husband, mentally suffered from a bad marriage. And vice versa with men. The most
couple stayed in a relationship because of the children involved but unknowingly these children
are already affected from the situation causing these children to have depression, because they
have witnessed every situation and children nowadays are very open-minded I think they rather
live without a drug addict father than seeing their mom battered by their father. Another fact,
those men who worked abroad for their family only to find out all his earnings go to nothing
because of his wife cheating and supporting the paramour. I think there is no second chance for
this kind of marriage there is no point of staying, I would rather leave and start all over again if I
were in that situation. I am a victim of a broken family but my mom never gets a chance to start
all over again because of that tiny pieces of paper that bind them together. Divorce is also very
beneficial to those couples whose both parties agreed to separate their ways for good with this
being legalized they can determine as well how to divide their assets and properties. People of
the church believe that Marriage is a union of two individuals and it is sacred but if it fails to do
so, are you still staying? For instance, I have read in the news, the father of the child rapes his
own child, are you still going to keep your marriage? I bet NO! I think our lawmakers should
grant this law to protect every individual for any under circumstances might occur, instances
that I have just said. This is should not a debate but of course, since the Catholic Church oppose
that said bill, the church tried holding back progress in society to infringe the rights of others
that don’t believe. There is the influence of church that’s holding back this bill, when in fact
they can already see that this is unhappy marriage spiraled out of control, perhaps they don’t
know how it feels to be trap in a stressful marriage since they are not allowed to get married,
yes marriage is the foundation and sanctity of the family but this only applied to a not so
complicated marriage, bear with me I am not against marriage but I'm pointing it out only it
applied to those who badly need it , so why not we gave it to them ?.if ever this divorce bill will
be passed this should not only apply to women but rule it out fairly applicable to any man or
woman that needs protection and freedom on this issue.

The reason behind my points of view on this matter is simple, I have witnessed most of
these scenarios, in some families, it is a real-life based story. And I believe they deserve
freedom, escape from cruelty, escape from abusive partners, escape from a bad marriage to
start a new life and make sure next time with that lesson learned we will not repeat the same
mistakes again. With this Divorce bill, those who need freedom can free them; it will protect
them give them authority to protect their rights and I believed let us not deprive what they
deserved. A dying marriage that cannot be saved should not have meant to be kept because it
can be harmful to who's in it. It is like a toxic that will lose your faith, even worst you will lose
yourself, you will lose everything.