They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. (Mark 10:4-5)
While divorce is not part of God's original plan, He understands human weakness and frailty. Let us strive for God's ideals to value and honor our marital commitments while acknowledging our human limitations.
The Philippine House of Representatives has recently passed the Absolute Divorce Bill on its third and final reading². This bill, House Bill (HB) 9349, also known as the proposed Absolute Divorce Act, was passed with 126 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions².
The bill signifies a significant shift in societal attitudes towards marriage and relationships in the Philippines². It provides options for individuals trapped in "unhappy and irreparable marriages"². The bill does not recognize "no-fault, quickie drive-thru, email or notarial divorces" as there are limited and reasonable grounds for divorce and a petition will have to undergo judicial scrutiny to prevent abuse and collusion of the parties².
The grounds for absolute divorce include psychological incapacity, irreconcilable differences, domestic or marital abuse, when one of the spouses undergoes a sex reassignment surgery or transitions from one sex to another, and separation of the spouses for at least five years². The grounds for legal separation under the Family Code of the Philippines can also be considered grounds for absolute divorce².
This is a significant development as the Philippines remains one of the only two countries in the world, along with the Vatican, where divorce does not legally exist¹. However, it's important to note that this bill has only been passed in the House of Representatives and still needs to be approved by the Senate⁴. (Conversation with Copilot)