Muling iginiit ni Senador Risa Hontiveros ang kahalagahan ng pagpasa ng Senate Bill No. 147 o ang Dissolution of Marriage Act lalo na sa mga kababaihan na biktima ng domestic abuse. 

“Some Filipino women have almost been killed by their own husbands. But most of them cannot leave their marriages because of the prohibitive costs of filing for an annulment. Bigyan na natin ang ating mga kababaihan ng pagkakataong makalaya sa masalimuot at abusadong pagsasama. Bigyan natin sila ng oportunidad na mahalin at magmahal muli. Ipasa na ang Divorce Bill,” aniya sa isang pahayag.

Ayon sa 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey ng Philippine Statistics Authority, isa sa apat na kasal na kababaihan na 15 taong gulang hanggang 49 taong gulang ay nakaranas ng karahasan na pisikal, sekswal, o emosyonal. Binanggit rin sa survey na karamihan sa mga kababaihan ay sang-ayon sa pagsasabatas ng divorce.

“When a marriage becomes irreparable, it is incumbent upon the State to not only provide relief to spouses, but also protect children from the pain, anxiety, and trauma of witnessing regular marital clashes. Let us give Filipino families the chance to let go of toxic relationships,” ani Hontiveros, na chairperson rin ng Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.

Ayon naman sa survey ng Social Weather Station noong 2017, 53 porsyento ay sang-ayon sa legalisasyon ng divorce sa bansa. Sa survey naman ng Catholic Radio Veritas noong 2018, 52 porsyento naman ang sang-ayon sa divorce.

Binaggit din ni Hontiveros na kinakailangan bilisan ng senado ang pagsasabatas ng divorce sa bansa.

“Our counterparts in the House have already been making the moves to help our country catch up with the rest of the world. The Senate must do the same. Past surveys have demonstrated that the majority of Filipinos favor divorce to be instituted in the country. We better listen to our people,” aniya.

“We are the only country, aside from the Vatican, that doesn’t have divorce. As a secular state, this is not something to be proud of. This only shows how left behind we are in addressing the needs and recognizing the lived experiences of our people. 2023 na, wala pa ring divorce. It’s time to change this,” dagdag ng mambabatas.

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