|
|||||||||
MiscellaNEWS Articles Divorce (sic) in RP Is Only for the Rich, the Famous and the Influential
| Divorce (sic) in RP Is Only for the Rich, the Famous and the Influential |
Filipinos joke that civil divorce will soon be legalized again in the Philippines. Why? Wags say that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo needs this option
of getting herself rid of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. Yes, the Mike Arroyo of
the Pidalgate fame.
Pundits say that
there is actually divorce (sic) in the Philippines. But it is an option only for the elite
(the rich or the famous or the influential people).
Editor’s Note: This is the first part of a four-article series on the topic of divorce. Two of the four articles were written by Ms. Ana de Guia (not her real name, as she prefers to remain an anonymous author). Ms. Ana is a Filipino who now resides in Europe. Excerpts of these articles were published in the www.PinoyOnBoard.com of New York in 2004.)
The elite class can use its wealth and connections and petition the Philippine
civil courts for the annulment of the marriage. With the assistance of
high-priced lawyers, usually annulment is granted. There are documented cases
of Philippine movie stars whose marriages were annulled in a civil court and
who married validly before a judge or a mayor for the second time to equally
famous personalities or politicians.
Oftentimes people in the Philippines get married in the Roman Catholic Church
(RCC) and which wedding is registered also before the Civil Registry. When a
couple separates and is able to obtain a civil annulment of the marriage, they
cannot yet get married again (to different spouses) in the RCC.
The next step is to engage the services of RCC dignitary and/or canon lawyers
and petition the Vatican for an annulment. More often than not,
the Vatican grants the annulment after the
petitioner spends a small fortune in fees and donations to the coffers of the
church.
Perhaps it is high time for Philippine society to deal with this obvious
practice of hypocrisy. The Philippine Congress must pass legislation that once
again allows divorce in the country, as was practiced in the 1920s and 1930s.
The primary reason for opposing divorce is the argument of the RCC for
preservation of the sanctity of marriage as an institution. What sanctity is
there when too many children are actually born out-of-wedlock and RCC prelates
baptize them in often formal and elegant ceremonies? Isn't the practice of
baptizing the children of common-law spouses who live in mortal sin recognition
of such "immoral" unions?
What is
needed is to penalize the practice of those who can afford to maintain
paramours, especially married lovers, and flaunt the relationship in public.What the country needs is to make sure that married people have the tools to
become and remain happy in their marital relationships. The Philippine society
must do away with hypocrisy by legalizing civil divorce. What the civil
authorities should do is to penalize the practice of those who can afford to
maintain paramours, especially married lovers, and flaunt the relationship in
public.
Perhaps the country must also tax illicit relationship in the same manner that
the government imposes the so-called "sin taxes" on liquor and
tobacco products. Perhaps if movie actors and actresses were to be levied half
of their pay in hosting television shows or acting in movies, there will be
less flagrant display of immoral affection on the idiot box. Perhaps the
government must impose a hefty tax on children born out of wedlock, especially
the children fathered by members of the clergy that practice celibacy. Because
in most cases, the government ends up spending scarce resources in educating,
and providing medical care to, these children from illicit relationship. # # #
To read Part II of this series, please click on this link:
Getting Out of a Bad Marriage: How Some Filipinos Do It
More power to your sense of humor, Mr. Reyes.
Maria Clara
|
|