Has The Wind Shifted? Divorce in the Philippines

Last night (August 18, 2021), before I went to sleep, I came across a news item that the House Committee on Population and Family Relations has unanimously approved an “Absolute Divorce Bill” on August 17, 2021. The said bill is now up for plenary approval.

I do not know how Congress works. To what is the next step, I do not know.

I am not sure whether this is too early or too late to be alarmed. But I am struck by one thing.

Silence.

This morning (August 19, 2021), I was searching for relevant news through mainstream Church news outlets, but I could not get across any news item lately that mentioned this issue.

All news seems to cover COVID-19, killings of social justice advocates, environmental advocacies like tree planting.

About the “Absolute Divorce Bill,” almost none.

When the news broke about the passage of this bill, the first one to speak about it was Pastor Eddie Villanueva.

As of writing this article, I was checking the official newsletter of the CBCP, but there was no news item on this, for whatever reasons they may have.

Or maybe it will come later today. After all, the Church works in the “slow and sure” way, not in a knee-jerk reactive way.

However, one question remains in my mind.

Why was there no alarm bell sounded that it has now passed the Committee level without a single shot fired from the Catholic side?

Or retrograding a little bit, why was there no reaction when the House Committee started deliberating on this issue?

When there were advocacies against the passage of the RH Bill into law, there was this prophetic view claiming that the RH Bill is a test case.

If the RH Bill is passed, liberal lawmakers will also attempt to pass the other DEATH bills.

DEATH stands for Divorce, Euthanasia, Abortion, Total Reproductive Health, Homosexuality (same-sex marriage).

The “T,” which is Total Reproductive Health, has been passed during the Aquino administration.

Now, the “D” is next in line.

Whether this “absolute divorce bill” will be passed into law during the Duterte administration remains to be seen.

As of now, silence.

Is this the calm before the storm? Or is this a sign of disinterest?

Maybe the wind has shifted...

(To be continued)

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