Why D-bill in limelight again

The Philippine Daily Inquirer in its June 3 editorial got it all wrong. In the interest of truth, let us straighten the facts first.

The Divorce bill (D-bill) has long been submitted to the House of Representatives—in fact, even before the RH bill regained the nation’s attention and made new progress in Congress. Gabriela Women’s Party filed a Divorce bill as early as the 13th Congress and refiled the same in the current Congress as early as July 2010.

So why the talk now about the Divorce bill? One, the Philippines recently earned a singular distinction for being the only predominantly Catholic country in the world without a divorce law, after Malta recently approved in a referendum to enact one. Two, the House Committee on the Revision of Laws, which has jurisdiction over the Divorce bill, scheduled the measure for committee discussion late last week.

So to say a “reckless introduction of the divorce bill” has been made by Gabriela is sweeping and irresponsible.

We welcome the progress the Divorce bill has made in Congress. The bill is now being tackled at the committee level. At least, our lawmakers are now talking about the merits of divorce, of this bill, which we believe would benefit abused women the most.

Opening a public debate on divorce should not stop the ongoing discussion on the RH bill. The Divorce bill is an initiative that is separate and independent from the RH bill. The deliberation of one should not in any way cause the delay of the other. Also, the initiative to win support for the Divorce bill should not be viewed myopically as something that would necessarily weed away growing support from the RH bill.

The RH bill should stand on its own merits; so should the Divorce bill. Pitting one against the other—which unfortunately the editorial has done—inflames misplaced passions and fans unfounded fears.

Both the RH bill and the Divorce bill seek to address legitimate and urgent concerns of Filipino women. These two measures are intended to address squarely, by means of legislation, two most injurious situations of women: lack of access to comprehensive reproductive health care and the lack of legal relief from abusive marriages.

Gabriela remains steadfast in pushing for a pro-women, pro-poor, pro-health RH bill that will have nowhere in its framework and provisions a population control agenda.

To the end of advancing women’s causes, both inside and outside of Congress, we will fight for reforms and specific measures that will benefit women, especially the marginalized. No political prejudice or malice, even from naysayers who trumpet themselves as politically keen and upright purveyors of the truth, can frustrate our determination to advance women’s rights and welfare.
—GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTY