A coalition lobbying for the passage of a divorce law in the country is upbeat on chances that it will be passed in Congress despite the recent change in leadership in the Lower House.
“The bill is already in the Senate, and we need to lobby for it more by sending letters to the Senate and through online movement,” said Wilmita Antilegado, Cebu coordinator of the Divorce Pilipinas Coalition.
She said they met with Sen. Pia Cayetano who told them to step up their lobbying of the bill in the grassroots level.
“They say that this is not a priority, but we think otherwise because for a stable nation, we need a stable household. If the household is in constant chaos, divorce provides a solution,” Antilegado said.
The Philippines, along with the Vatican, is the only state in the world where divorce is illegal. Gertrudes Ylang of Cordova town, Cebu spent P350,000 to finalize her annulment with her estranged husband.
If the divorce bill is passed this year, she said she will definitely opt for divorce instead of continuing her annulment.DPC said the divorce law provides protection to the children of divorced parents.
The DPC counts more than 150 members. Last March, President Rodrigo Duterte said he is against the divorce law as it will negatively affect the children of couples seeking separation./Delta Dyrecka Letigio, USJ-R Journalism Intern