LIVE: Senate hearing into divorce bill

MANILA, Philippines — The senators are set to hold the first public hearing on proposals to legalize divorce in the country, one of the greatest Catholic nations in the world.

The Senate inquiry would be presided by Senate committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

It seeks to tackle the proposed divorce bills of Hontiveros and Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Several women’s rights advocates are lobbying for the passage of divorce bill and also opposing annulment.

Under the proposed divorce bills at the Senate, among the grounds for divorce are physical violence, grossly abusive conduct, drug addiction, habitual alcoholism, chronic gambling, homosexuality, bigamous marriage and marital infidelity.

The Catholic Church, however, opposed the proposals citing it is “anti-marriage and family.”

In view of this, the Senate panel invited women’s and children’s rights advocates, religious groups, health and family experts as well as some government officials to weigh in on the proposed divorce bill.

The senators would look into the following resolutions:

• Senate Bill No. 67 - Recognizing the Foreign Decree of Termination of Marriage
• Senate Bill Nos. 288 and 356 - Instituting Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage in the Philippines
• Senate Bill No. 504 - Recognizing the Civil Effects of Church Annulment Decree

Watch the hearing LIVE starting 10 a.m. on Tuesday Sept. 17, 2019.