Senate holds hearing on divorce bill for the first time

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate yesterday took the first step in discussing the controversial divorce bill, complete with resource persons who narrated their personal experiences on having painful and abusive marriages.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros – chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality – presided over the hearing, which she described as “historic.”

“This is history in the making. We are in the process of making history by crafting a policy to make the dissolution of marriage available to all Filipinos who want second chances in love to rebuild their families and start all over again,” Hontiveros said in her opening statement.

“It makes us respect marriage more by being more discerning with our choices in life. It protects children from abuse and rebuilds broken families,” she added.

Hontiveros said whatever one wants to call it, divorce or dissolution of marriage, what is important is giving Filipinos a second chance.

The panel tackled Senate Bill 67 titled Recognizing the Foreign Decree of Termination of Marriage, SBs 288 and 356 or Instituting Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage in the Philippines, and SB 504 or Recognizing the Civil Effects of Church Annulment Decree.

Hontiveros clarified that she believes in and supports the institution of marriage, but she said Filipinos, especially women and their children, should have the right to turn the page and be free from abusive and loveless relationships.

“They, together with their children, deserve all the chances available in this world to build nurturing families and find true and meaningful relationships,” she said.

Hontiveros said the divorce bill is pro-marriage, pro-family and pro-children.

Yesterday’s discussion focused on whether or not laws are sufficient to protect parties embroiled in a difficult, painful and abusive marriage.

She said the panel would determine whether or not the dissolution of marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage and family, and will have damaging effects on the children.

One of the resource persons, Ma. Estella Sibonga, said she was 18 years old when she got pregnant and her parents forced the man to marry her.

During their marriage, the man turned out to be a womanizer, a drunkard and had other vices.

Sibonga said there were instances when she tried to take her life as she could no longer take her sufferings.

In 2012, Sibonga said she filed for an annulment but her lawyer did not pay attention to her complaint, which took more than five years before the court granted her petition.

“While the court granted the decision, the Solicitor General filed a motion for reconsideration opposing the case, which remains pending,” Sibonga added.