MANILA — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has taken a firm stance against the passage of the absolute divorce bill, citing the potential harm it could cause to Filipino families, particularly children.

In a letter released on Monday (July 1, 2024), Palma urged Cebuanos to oppose the bill and emphasized that divorce is not the solution for broken and irreparable marriages. He argued that a declaration of nullity is sufficient in addressing troubled marriages.

Palma called on all faithful members of the Archdiocese of Cebu to unite in rejecting divorce, warning about its potential damage not only to Catholics but also as a threat to national values.

As a leader of 4.8 million Catholics in the province and three highly urbanized cities, Palma expressed concern that divorce may bring more harm, particularly affecting children from divorced families. He cautioned that divorce would redefine marriage by removing its permanent character and highlighted studies showing how children are most affected by divorces.

These sentiments were further amplified as his letter was displayed on tarpaulins at the entrances of Roman Catholic churches throughout the province.

The Philippines currently does not allow divorce except within Vatican City. Although approved by the House of Representatives, this measure is still pending in the Senate.

(el Amigo/mnm)

MANILA — A recent survey conducted by OCTA Research sheds light on prevailing sentiments regarding the legalization of divorce in the Philippines.

According to the Tugon ng Masa third-quarter survey, 51 percent of surveyed adult Filipinos remain opposed to passing a law legalizing divorce, while 41 percent express support, with 9 percent remaining undecided.

When analyzed regionally, Mindanao emerged with the highest percentage of Filipinos in favor of divorce at 48 percent, followed closely by the National Capital Region at 46 percent.

Conversely, the Visayas exhibited the lowest support at 33 percent, with 59 percent expressing opposition.

The National Capital Region had the highest number of respondents undecided, with 15 percent.

Notably, Northern Mindanao had the most substantial support for divorce at 78 percent, while Cagayan Valley recorded the highest opposition at 96 percent.

Younger Filipinos, aged 18 to 24, proved to be the most supportive demographic at 54 percent, contrasting with the 67 to 74 age group, which predominantly opposed the notion.

Urban respondents demonstrated strong support for divorce legalization at 43 percent, with 40 percent of both men and women expressing favor.

This contrasted with 50 percent of males and 52 percent of females who were not in favor.

Furthermore, respondents with college or postgraduate education exhibited higher support for the measure.

The survey, encompassing 1,200 respondents, carried a nationwide margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent and plus or minus 6 percent for Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

(JR AMIGO/AI/MNM)