So what if we are the only country left without divorce law?

The lawmakers who are pushing for divorce to become a law in the Philippines argued that the Philippines is the only country (aside from the Vatican) left without divorce law after Malta, a Catholic nation like ours, has finally allowed divorce after the people voted for the measure in a referendum. This argument of the lawmakers borders on the simplistic if not idiotic, to say the least. So what, if we are the only nation left standing without a divorce law? I find it sad that as a people, we tend to imbibe so easily the practices of other countries even if these are contrary to our long held cultural values. Is having no divorce in the country something to be ashamed of? No, in fact, love of family and children are at the very core of our cultural identity as a people.

Former CBCP president Archbishop Oscar Cruz even said having no divorce in the country is a distinction and indeed, we should be proud of it. He said the Filipinos are known internationally as being family and children oriented. In fact, he said, when the Holy Father was asked on one occasion what the Filipino culture was noted for, the Pontiff reportedly declared, it was ‘love for the family.’

The Philippine Constitution upholds the sanctity of marriage and family life. Article II, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” Since the very aim of divorce is to break the marriage of a husband and wife, and consequently the family, then there’s no doubt the bill goes against the provision of the constitution.

And yet, despite what the Constitution clearly says, one of the authors of the bill, Gabriela Party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan stands pat on her argument that the divorce bill will not violate the Constitution. Hello?

Another argument is that divorce will allow women to get out of a bad marriage and be able to remarry. The lawmakers even quoted some statistics on the increasing number of cases of battered women in the country. Still, I believe divorce is not the answer to the problems raised. Instead divorce will only weaken the foundation of marriage, because individuals may enter into marriage with a person without much thought and preparation, since anyway, it would be easy to divorce the person once the relationship does not work.

The Family Code of the Philippines allows couples to separate in the event that the two cannot live together because of serious reasons; and the Catholic Church also permits annulment on some cases. But both situations do not allow the individual to remarry again.

Marriage is a sacrament, a sacred covenant between two individuals with God as their witness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “The love of the spouses requires, of its very nature, the unity and indissolubility of the spouses' community of persons, which embraces their entire life: ‘so they are no longer two, but one flesh’.” The love that binds the couple in marriage is a reflection of the love that God has for man.

Legalizing divorce in the country will only lead to more broken families and kids growing up without parental guidance. Children always end up as victims in the event of a family breakdown caused by the separation of parents. Divorce will certainly open a floodgate of problems that would eventually destroy the family—considered the basic unit of society.