MANILA, Philippines – Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said that a failed marriage is not an argumentfor divorce.
In a statement titled, “CBCP Position Against the Divorce Bill and Against the Decriminalization of Adultery and Concubinage,” Archbishop Villegas said that marriage is a work in progress. Though it is not easy to make a relationship work, a couple should compromise in order to work out their differences instead of resulting to divorce.
He added that once divorce would be legal in the country, the effort of a couple who are having problems in their relationship would lessen. They would talk less in trying to find solutions to their marital problems because they know that there is a “quick fix” available to solve their issues.
The CBCP president cited that one reason why some Filipinos are advancing a divorce law in the country is because they want “another go at marriage” despite failing at first. He compared this situation to a person test-driving a car and then getting a replacement if it proves to be below their standards.
He pointed out that there are enough legal remedies in the Family Code of the Philippines that a couple could employ if their marriage isn’t working anymore, such as legal separation and annulment.
Regarding the statement of Senator Pia Cayetano that having no divorce law in our country is nothing to be proud of, Archbishop Villegas said it is also nothing to be apologetic for. Even if all other countries except ours have such law, it is not reason enough for us to have it as well.
He mentioned that there is no such thing as a perfect marriage, contrary to what romance writers would want us to believe from their novels.
“Matches are worked out on earth, not pre-fabricated in heaven,” he said
