March 19, 2024
Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Party-List Representative Bro. Eddie Villanueva on Tuesday strongly opposed House Bill 9349 or the Absolute Divorce Bill calling it unconstitutional, anti-family, anti-Filipino and, ultimately, anti-God.
“Mr. Speaker, this Representation opposes the divorce bill because I find it unconstitutional. Not only is it questionable in light of Article XV, Section 2, which declares Filipino marriages as inviolable, but, more importantly, the effects of the bill directly and clearly contradict the Constitutional mandates of protecting the family as the foundation of the nation–as stated in Article XV Section 1–and of promoting the development and well-being of our youth–as stated in Article II Section 13,” said CIBAC Rep. Bro. Eddie.
The CIBAC solon also said that practically all studies and literature on divorce indicate negative impacts on the family, couples, and their children in varying degrees. He also cited studies showing that the divorce of parents raise the risk and possibility that children’s marriages would also end in divorce.
“Are we willing to pass this bill at the expense of the interest and future of our children and their future families?” asked the CIBAC solon.
Rep. Bro Eddie also said the divorce bill is anti-poor woman because studies show that divorced women are more economically vulnerable and worse off than men after the divorce. According to Villanueva, divorce will entrap women, especially the poor, into hardship and poverty because they are the ones who usually bear the burden of raising the children.
In addition, the CIBAC solon pointed out that there is significant opposition to the bill as evidenced by a recent 2023 OCTA Research survey which showed that majority of Filipinos are not in favor of legalizing divorce in the country.
Further, Rep. Villanueva said that a better policy option now is just to strengthen available remedies under existing laws that address gravely problematic marriages – namely, annulment and legal separation processes – and make them pro-poor, cheaper, affordable, and expeditious.
“If the services and government assistance that would be mandated by this bill for divorce cases would also be available to annulment cases, we argue that the annulment process would be made cheaper, accessible, and faster to address problematic marriages. In addition, we believe that between divorce and annulment, annulment is more akin to the Constitutional mandate of protecting the institution of marriage and is more aligned to Filipino culture,” added the CIBAC solon.”
On the issue that the Philippines is the only country in the world without a divorce law, Rep. Bro Eddie said that he is in fact “proud to have a Constitution which has a provision on marriage that is faithful to the intent and design of marriage as originally institutionalized by God Himself in the Bible. It only shows that Filipinos are not easily persuaded by emerging philosophies and trends, and that we have a strong resolve to uphold our culture and identity amidst the influence and manipulation of other countries,” said the CIBAC solon
Lastly, for Rep. Villanueva, the most important reason to oppose the divorce is that it is clearly against the will of God and legalizing it will just invite curses, not blessings, to the country.
“Divorce is out of the will, design, and purpose of God who explicitly says in Malachi 2:16: “For I hate divorce!” I hope that we will all take heed of God’s Word and reject this divorce bill,” ended the CIBAC solon.
