House panel to start deliberations on divorce bill Wednesday

The committee on revision of laws at the House of Representatives is set to start on Wednesday the preliminary deliberations on a measure seeking to introduce divorce in the Philippines. Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, author of House Bill (HB) 1799, said it is “high time" for the House to start the legislative process on the measure after the Mediterranean country of Malta approved divorce via a referendum vote on Sunday (Manila time). “Tayo na lang ang naiiwan... Marami naman talagang nabubugbog na babae. Kapag iniiwanan ng asawa, babae ang kawawa. We need to start discussions on this bill," she said in an interview with GMA News Online on Monday. Ilagan, however, admitted that she expects the passage of the bill to be met by the “usual" strong opposition from officials of the Roman Catholic Church. “The Church, kailangan na nilang humabol sa modern times and respond to the needs of women," she said. A majority of Malta’s citizens approved the introduction of divorce in the staunchly Catholic country on Sunday, leaving the Philippines the only country not to legalize divorce. Under HB 1799, couples who have been legally separated for two years can already file a petition for divorce. The measure lists psychological incapacity, irreconcilable differences and failure to comply with marital obligations as grounds for filing a divorce petition. — KBK, GMA News