MANILA – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged advocates of divorce to carefully consider its societal impacts. Following their 128th Plenary Assembly, the CBCP emphasized the need for thoughtful deliberation rather than haste in passing the divorce measure in the Philippines.
CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David’s pastoral letter cautioned against rushing into divorce legislation, questioning why the Philippines remains among the few countries without civil divorce. The letter urged Filipinos to reflect and consider the consequences before embracing an Absolute Divorce Law.
Highlighting potential risks, the CBCP warned against making divorce easily accessible, citing potential suffering that could result from prematurely dissolved marriages. They also cited statistics showing high failure rates in countries with legal divorce, questioning if similar outcomes are desired for Filipino families.
While appreciating public discourse on the issue, the CBCP emphasized its role in proposing rather than imposing views, encouraging reasoned debate among citizens.
In May, the House of Representatives passed Bill 9349, or the Divorce Bill, which is now with the Senate.
(el Amigo/mnm)
