Hontiveros: Divorce bill won’t affect church aspect of marriage

The divorce bill will not interfere with the church aspect of marriage and will likewise help protect members of the LGBTQ community from stigma, Senator Risa Hontiveros told critics of the measure on Tuesday.

"Hindi nito aapektuhan ang pagpapahalaga ng iba't-ibang religious groups, simbahan, at faith communities sa sakramento ng kasal dahil itong dissolution of marriage bill, hindi makikialam sa pansimbahang aspeto ng kasal," Hontiveros said in a virtual interview with reporters.

(The dissolution of marriage bill will not affect different religious groups' appreciation of the sacrament of marriage because it will not interfere with the church aspect of marriage.)

Hontiveros also stressed that couples in healthy, happy marriages will not be affected by the bill, which aims to protect abused spouses.

"Hindi nito aapektuhan 'yung mga malulusog na mga kasal na pinagdiwang sa simbahan at malulusog hanggang ngayon. Ito lamang ay may implikasyon sa legal relationship at obligasyon sa pagitan ng mag-asawa na kalaunan ay naging abusado o pabaya at bayolente pa nga," she added.

(This will not affect healthy marriages which were celebrated in the Church and remain healthy. This will only have implications on the legal relationship and obligations between couples where there is abuse, neglect or violence.)

The lawmaker also explained that this bill will also protect the members of the LGBTQ from stigma, as a person's sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) will not be considered a ground for divorce.

"'Yung SOGIE ng isang asawa, 'di na sya magiging ground para sa dissolution of marriage bilang bahagi na rin sa isa pang malawak na advocacy natin sa SOGIE equality na hindi tayo nag-ii-stigmatize, hindi tayo nagdi-discriminate ng sino mang kababayan o kapwa tao sa batayan ng kanyang SOGIE," she said.

(The SOGIE of the spouse will not be a ground for dissolution of marriage as part of our greater advocacy for SOGIE equality. We will not stigmatize and we will not discriminate against any our fellow Filipinos on the basis of their SOGIE.)

Hontiveros has refiled the divorce bill in the 19th Congress to ensure the protection of the common children in the affected marriage and to make the court proceedings for the termination of marriage “affordable, expeditious, and inexpensive.” — BM, GMA News