The Sanctity of Marriage

Just recently, I heard in the news that two women lawmakers are pushing for the legalization of divorce here in the Philippines.  There were already talks on this before, and a lot of issues were raised regarding this, and a lot of groups have voiced out their concerns about its implications to the sanctity of Filipino families.  There are actually existing remedies to troubled marriages in the Philippines: annulment, legal separation, declaration of nullity of marriage, and this new bill on divorce will just be one of the options for the couples.  However, there are mixed reactions on this, and the worry of being just like the couples in other countries, who get married without giving it much thought because they know that they can get divorce anytime in case they don’t get along, is the biggest concern among those who value the sanctity of marriage. 

When I was sharing this news with my cousin in the US, she said that though she’s been in the US for quite some time, she’s still a Filipino by heart and her Filipino values are still very much intact.  She also said that when conflicts within the family became a big issue that it affects the future of their children, counseling should be the first and foremost priority of the couples, and it’s also a good thing that just like the existing Family Counseling in Denver where she lives, she knows that there are also lots of communities that can help couples in resolving conflicts within their families, without resorting to divorce.

I’m sure this bill will go through a lot of discussions, arguments and justifications, before it gets approved or disapproved.  If you listen to the arguments of both sides, you’ll realize that they both have a point, the other side defending on the sanctity of marriage, while the other side defending on the rights of battered women to end their marriage if only to preserve their dignity and the future emotional stability of their children who are usually the most affected by the troubled marriages of their parents.  I just hope that whatever the outcome, the personal values of each couple will prevail, and that they will not use this just to get out of their marriages even though they only have minor conflicts that can be easily solved by marriage counseling.