research paper

Divorce Bill, a remedy or a will to suffer?

A Research Paper submitted to the Faculty of St. Bridget College

In Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for course English

Sentence Outline
Divorce Bill, a remedy or a will to suffer?

Thesis Statement: The Philippines is facing a tough issue about the Divorce Bill which brings confusions to every Filipino’s mind whether it is a solution or just an addition to the increasing problems in the country.
I. Introduction
II. The Philippines is facing the reality that most of the people are in favor of this Bill.
A. Political individuals have varying views of the Divorce Bill. 1. Although Senator Pia Cayetano is a Christian, she is open for the filing of Divorce Bill in the Philippines. 2. Representatives of Gabriela Party-list continue to attract people to support them in not losing hope for this to become law.
a. There are several reasons why the Gabriela Party-List supports Divorce. 3. Even Divorce Bill is not a priority of President Benigno Aquino, he has also his own views for Divorce Bill. B. Many sectors have spoken on the necessity for passing it into law because of the broken relationship of a couple.
III. The church has remained firm against Divorce. A. Church strongly supports God’s will and God’s word. 1. Catholic people should give a helping hand to the church in their opposition to the Divorce Bill. 2. Aside from this, we should do an action in opposing and fighting against Divorce. B. Marriage should remain substantial in the church and most especially in couples. 1. Children are the most affected in the situation when their parents decided for a separation. 2. Sunday church-goers couples are the first one who didn’t support the Divorce Bill in the Philippines. 3. With God’s help, Filipino couples can build a strong relationship to maintain the essence of marriage.

IV. The Philippines is facing the issue of being the only country left without Divorce. A. It is the Filipino pride that the Philippines is the only country where there is no Divorce. 1. Divorce may cause the immorality of the entire country if this Bill will be implemented in the Philippines. 2. Philippines should not follow the rest of the world because we are a Catholic country. B. Though the Philippines is a democratic country, the ways of life, culture and traditions have undergone changes. The nation remained religiously contained and oriented that indicates that the majority of Filipinos still value their beliefs in God.
V. Conclusion

I. INTRODUCTION Do you value marriage? God gave you a heart to love and someone who will love you too. Marriage is a sacrament that was given by God, where two people become one and no one can separate them except death. But why are there son many issues today that a couple are now separating ways? They are violating God’s Law. What is the true value of marriage if Divorce Bill will be passed in the Philippines? Divorce in the Philippines is planning to break the faith and values of the Filipinos, but Catholics have a strong belief that Divorce will not be implemented in the Philippines. Eventhough there are many couples who are separating nowadays, there is always a solution for them to be in good terms again because God made them because one so they should maintain their love for each other. Divorce during Spanish time in the Philippines was legal but when the Philippines had its independence political leaders did not agree in the legalization of Divorce so they made a revision of it and was called legal separation. Today, only the Philippines is the country which does not have a Divorce Law. The objective of this paper is to have the reader a better understanding about Divorce if they will be in the side of the pro’s or anti’s. After reading it, the reader will have their own standpoint in life if they will be in favour of this Bill to be passed. It is expected that the reader will have own side for the forwarding of Divorce upon reading the whole material. The paper will give the reader on explanation and understanding of what will happen if this, Divorce Bill, will be passed in the Philippines.
II. The Philippines is facing the reality that most of the people are in favor of this Bill.
Filipinos, rich or poor, young or old, everyone has a different way of thinking and would therefore lead them to have different decisions and different ways of weighing their options. This could also be related to the issue about the Divorce Bill in the Philippines. Though the Philippines is widely known to be a country dominated by Catholics, there are many people, most probably Catholics, who are in favor of having the Divorce Law in the country.
A. Political individuals have varying views of the Divorce Bill.
The different people of the Philippines have different views regarding the House Bill 1799, also known as Divorce Bill of the Philippines. Politicians like senators, congressmen and even the president have varying opinions about the said bill. The debate on this to-be-passed law has caused tensions to build up among the different party-lists that exist in the country. Some agree with this bill because they believe that this could be a great help to the country and might as well contribute to the progress and development of the country. For some, this Divorce Bill could destroy families and the society we all belong to, and destroy as well the value of marriage for couples.
1. Although Senator Pia Cayetano is a Christian, she is open for the filing of divorce bill in the Philippines.
According to Senator Pia Cayetano, “The Divorce Bill is long overdue simply because we prefer to leave untouched issues that we consider sensitive or issues that we consider personal, but the time has come for us to realize that many things that go on in a family’s home require legislation and require policies that will ensure the rights of the individuals are protected”
For Senator Pia Cayetano, Philippines, being the only country left in the world which has no divorce mean that the Filipinos are ignorant and willing to suffer. For her, this fact is not something the Philippines and its people should be proud of.
2. Representatives of Gabriela Party- List continue to attract people to support them in not losing hope for this to become law.
Gabriela party-list representative Luzviminda Illagan and other officials are not losing hope in filing the measure in Divorce Bill. On August 30, 1950, there should have already been a Divorce Law in the Philippines but Vice President Arturo Tolentino and other Filipinos did not agree. Today, Gabriela representatives are bringing it up again. In Italy, divorce is already legal, so the law of state and church law are now separated and different. In the Philippines, only non- Muslim Filipinos are not experiencing divorce because in Muslim Life, They are already practicing it.
According to the Gabriela Party-List representatives, Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana de Jesus, divorce in the Philippines should be legalized because annulment and legal separation is not enough for the broken relationships among couples. Divorce should also be legalized because it is the easiest way for a woman to get out of the marriage if she experiences abuse and violence from her husband. For them, divorce also provides protection to the children and abused mothers. Others, Cavite Representative Elpidio barzaga and Paranaque Representative Roilo Golez and also Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, disagree in passing the law because divorce will weaken the solidarity of family and marriage. The Churches also disagree with this bill because the Philippines is a widely known predominant catholic country.
a. There are several reasons why the Gabriela Party-List supports Divorce.
One of the reasons why Divorce Bill should be supported is that legal separation and annulment are both flawed laws. Legal Separation allows couples to separate but it does not dissolve their marriage. Therefore, they are not allowed to marry again. Annulment on the other hand, requires the couple to undergo a trial to prove the invalidity of the marriage between them. It is also expensive and requires a lot of money. However, Divorce Bill provides ease of access to many couples who want to be legally separated. Another reason for the law to be passed is the fact that it already existed in the country and had been widely practiced among the ancestral tribes, decades and centuries ago. Today, some sectors of the Philippines still practice divorce, namely the Muslim sector of the country. They have their own rules when it comes to divorce: a man can divorce his wife, but a woman is not allowed to file divorce against his husband. Another reason is that many people are in favour of divorce. According to a Social Weather Station survey conducted in March 2011, 50 percent of adult Filipinos agree with this bill and only 33 percent disagree. This survey shows that more and more Filipinos become open to accept divorce as part of the laws in the country. Another advantage of Divorce is it does not destroy the family because sometimes, depending on the situation, divorce can serve as the less harmful and less hurtful way to process your separation with your partner.
3. Even Divorce Bill is not a priority of President Benigno Aquino, he has also his own views for this Bill.
President Benigno Aquino III has rejected divorce bill in the Philippines, but he is in favor of legally separated couples to be able to remarry again. Therefore, he is suggesting having a revision of the law on legal separation for couples but this revision will be almost the same as the divorce bill implemented in most of the countries across the world. According to the Church, who has a strong and firm opposition to the divorce bill says that President Aquino’s view and decision is tantamount to supporting divorce.
President Aquino opposes the Las- Vegas type of Divorce in the country wherein you can easily get married to someone and also easily get out of it. That type of Divorce does not show only respect to the sanctity and essence of marriage. President Aquino, however supports the type of divorce that representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus co- authored, because under this bill are 5 grounds in which divorce could be granted. These are:
1. When the petitioner who has been separated de facto from his/her spouse for at least five (5) years and reconciliation is improbable.
2. When the petitioner has been legally separated from his/her spouse at least two (2) years and reconciliation is improbable.
3. When any of the grounds for legal separation under paragraph (a) of article 55 of the family code has caused the irreparable breakdown of marriage.
4. When one or both spouses are psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligation.
5. When the spouses suffer from irreconcilable differences that have caused the irreparable breakdown of marriage.

III. The Church has remained firm against divorce. Today, Church and Political Leaders are having a special meeting about the forwarding of Divorce Bill. Church leaders are opposing in this Bill. They will no longer agree if Divorce Bill will be passed because they do not reach success in the objection of the RH Bill. They know that many will suffer in the Divorce, almost of the people in the Philippines especially the children. Instead the child is enjoying his/her childhood life, he/she will not be happy because of the situation of his/her parents.
A. Church strongly supports God’s will and God’s word.
Catholic Church leaders warned that the proposal to introduce in the Philippines would further divide the country after the bitter debate over the contentious reproductive health Bill and implant a “culture of death” in the nation. Fr.Felix Pasquin, rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City, said the Catholic Church would protest against the passage of the Divorce Bill, just as it was opposing the Reproductive Health Bill. “We are against the introduction of the Divorce Bill in the Congress. We stand by the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ on the sanctity of marriage and the value of the family to the national life and to the life of society.”
1. Catholic people should give a helping hand to the Church in their opposition to Divorce Bill.
Catholics believe that humans simply do not have the right and authority to divide what God has joined together. Catholics who remarry in a registry office or in the church of other denomination whilst their first spouse is still alive, is not allowed to take communication as they are committing adultery, because in God’s eyes they are still married to their first spouse.
2. Aside from this, Filipinos should do an action in opposing and fighting against divorce.
Filipinos should not agree or support the legalization of Divorce Bill so that the married couples would ensure that they remain their love for their spouse, learn to treasure their relationship more and strengthen the marriage in times of challenges and difficulties. Most of the Filipinos are Catholics and they should be the first one who needs to support the Church against Divorce Bill because it is a violation in the will of God.
B. Marriage should remain substantial in the church and most especially in couples.
Marriage, as a Christian sacrament, is a life-long and faithful union of a man and a woman mutually committed to share their life and love together. Modelled after and strengthen by God’s own love for his people, it is an intimate partnership in which each person gives the other person freedom to grow and which is directed toward bearing fruit. When a couple is married in a Catholic Church, they act as a Holy Sacrament in which Jesus is present. They become one, spiritually, emotionally, ecumenically, metaphorically and allegorically. Nothing can separate the holy bond of the couples expect death.
1. Children are most affected in the situation when their parents decided to separate.
According to research, 75% to 80% of children of Divorce are functioning well, with little long-term damage. Some women and girls turned out to be more competent and able people than if they had stayed in unhappy family situations. “A lot of the current work makes it sound as if you’ve given your kids a terminal disease when the parents go through Separation and Divorce. I think people should work harder on their marriages, support each other and weather the rough spots in the relationship. I’ve never seen a victimless Divorce where the mother, father or the child didn’t suffer extreme distress when the family broke up, but 75% to 80% do recover.” (Dr. Hetherington) Children from Divorced families have developed some serious problems because of their parents. They do not know which side they are going to because they know that they love their parents.
2. Sunday Church-goer couples are the first ones who did not support the Divorce Bill in the Philippines.
The Church seeks help from the Sunday church goers to stand with them against the divorce bill. The Sunday church goers, especially the couples stand firmly against the legalization of divorce bill in the Philippines because they believe that it is an act that violates the will and teachings of God. It is also a plague that can destroy families and brainwash people to change their values and beliefs regarding marriage and its importance. As Sunday church goers and also as couples, they still show respect to their religion by supporting the church and its stand about divorce.
IV. The Philippines is facing the issue of being the only country left without Divorce. The Philippines is officially the only country in the world which does not implement a Law on Divorce. Many people think of it as something to be proud of because the Vatican Council in Italy will praise the Philippines much more if it continues to stay that way. Some people, on the other hand, see this fact as something that will bring down the country because for them, Philippines will become left behind by other countries and therefore would not improve.
A. It is the Filipino pride that the Philippines is the only country where there is no divorce.
On May 29, 2011, Malta legalized divorce and left the Philippines the only country without it. Philippines, being the only catholic country left in the world without divorce should be proud of the fact that it has not yet legalized divorce. In this way, we are proving to the other countries and to the world that we, Filipinos and Catholics, value our religion and its teachings. If ever divorce would be legalized in the Philippines, the Filipinos will strongly be against it because Filipinos believe that divorce will destroy the sanctity of marriage and the strong ties of Filipino families in this country. The law of divorce does not suit the Philippines because majority of its inhabitants are Catholics and does not believe in the dissolution of marriage. The Philippines as a non-divorce country should aim to make it its goal to remain its stand against divorce and become proud of it.
1. Divorce may cause the immorality of the entire country to develop if this law is implemented.
Divorce is definitely not a true medicine or a solution to the growing domestic problems. It is just like illegal drugs which may have a little benefit of easing the pain of the patient. But in most cases, it is an addictive medicine that can kill life and relationships. It is not true that you will be happy with second chance. It is not true that you gain your happiness back when your marriage fails and marital problems are to adhere that the word of God says, “Wives, submit love to your husbands. Husbands, love your wife as you love yourselves.” This is where you gain happiness and fullness of marital life and your family.
2. Philippines should not follow the rest of the world because we are a catholic country.
Although Philippines is the only country that does not implemented Divorce Bill, it does not mean that Philippines will eventually imitate other countries regarding its laws. Filipinos should be proud of this because they are showing to the other nations that they value the true essence of marriage as a Catholic country and as a Catholic people. It is a honor for the Philippines to be called and known as a No Divorce Country.
B. Though the Philippines is a democratic country, the ways of life, culture and traditions have undergone changes, the nation remained religiously contained and oriented that indicates that the majority of Filipinos still value their belief in God.
Though divorce is planning to take over the country and become part of the law, there are still many Filipino families who are firmly rooted in their catholic values and morals. Though divorce will soon become law, catholic Filipinos will remain faithful and loyal to the teachings of their religion and they would still oppose the said bill. The people of the church, the lay leaders, priests and together with its followers can still do its job by not letting divorce into their lives and by helping married couples who experience hardships in their relationship, restore the essence of it and value the vows they have made with each other, Though the divorce bill could lead people to violate the law of God, the church leaders are still there and nothing can hinder them in doing their duties as the servants of God.
V. CONCLUSION The House Bill 1799, also known as Divorce Bill in the Philippines has many pros and cons that need to be considered and well studied about. Many people, politicians and even ordinary citizens of the country have different views regarding this issue. Some agree and some do not. People who fight for the legalization of this bill insist that this bill is needed by the Filipinos because it protects women from failed marriages. But since the Philippines is the only country remaining free of divorce, House Bill 1799 should not be legalized and be made part of the law because majority of the citizens of the Philippines are Catholics. Most importantly, it should not be legalized because it is not a priority. The government of the Philippines should focus on proposing laws that would surely improve the status of the country and status of living of its citizens, instead of prioritizing laws that would not benefit majority of the Filipinos. However, the most affect be this debate on whether to legalize the bill or not, is the Church. The Church, together with its people strongly disapproves this bill because they believe that it can destroy the marriage of a couple as well as their love for one another. It can also destroy the strong bonds that have been developed within a family. The Church also fights against this because the Philippines is the only catholic country left without it and every Filipino should be proud of it because by not having this law approved, we are showing that we are cherishing and valuing our religion and its teachings. However, the most affected by Divorce between couples if this law is to be approved, are the children. Divorced couples would leave their children feeling confused and rejected because they belong to a broken family. This can greatly affect children in many different aspects: physically, emotionally, psychologically and even spiritually, and that again is another reason why the church greatly disapproves this because it can lead people to commit sins and distance themselves from God which can cause them to become less spiritually active or even become purely inactive. Because of these reasons, Divorce Bill should not be given anymore thought on why it should be approved because the cons of this bill have much more weight than those of the pros.

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