SWS: Most Pinoys favor divorce

MANILA, Philippines - One in every two Filipinos favors the legalization of divorce in the country, a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released yesterday showed.

The First Quarter 2011 Social Weather Survey, conducted from March 4 to 7, showed that 50 percent of adult Filipinos agree that married couples who have separated and cannot reconcile should be granted divorce so they can get married again. Thirty-three percent of respondents disagree while 16 percent were undecided.

The non-commissioned interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide.

Six years ago, 43 percent of the population agreed with the legalization of divorce while 44 percent disagreed.

SWS said that compared to its May 2005 survey on the issue, public sentiment on divorce switched from opposition to support in the Visayas (from net -24 to net +13), and neutral to favorable in Metro Manila (from net -1 to net +17).

In Mindanao, more Filipinos have become supportive of divorce as shown by the rise in approval rating from net -7 to net +9. In the rest of Luzon, more are also in favor of the legalization of divorce as evidenced by the steep rise in the approval rating of net +11 to net +24.

Within socio-economic classes, sentiment towards divorce switched from opposition to support in class E (from net -13 to net +11), and from neutral to favorable in class D (from net -2 to net +20)

In class ABC, however, fewer support the legalization of divorce as shown by the drop in approval rating from net +25 to net +16.

According to SWS, support for legal divorce rose among men and women, regardless of civil status.

Compared to the May 2005 survey, attitude towards legal divorce changed from neutral to favorable among men (from net +1 to net +21)

More women also support divorce as shown by the rise in net approval rating from net -5 to net +14.

Support also shifted from neutral to favorable among singles (from net +7 to net +22 ), as well as among married couples (from net -7 to net +14) and those with live-in partners (from net +36 to net +35).

Attitude towards legal divorce switched from opposition to support among married women (up from net -10 to net +10).

Sentiment changed from neutral to favorable among married men (from net -3 to net +18).

The May 2005 Social Weather Survey was conducted from May 14 to 23 and had sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points area percentages.

The Philippines is now the only country without a divorce law after the majority Catholic Mediterranean state of Malta in a referendum voted in favor of legalizing divorce.

The House of Representatives held the first hearing on the bill legalizing divorce in the country yesterday.

Senior administration lawmakers said it would be difficult to pass the measure because it would require an amendment to the Constitution. House Bill 1799, also known as “An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines,” was heard in the committee on revision of laws.

Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan said the measure was crafted based on the experiences of Filipinos, particularly the women, and is not based on the divorce bills of other countries. “And, most importantly, it is sensitive to the rich and diverse cultural – including moral and religious – environment of our country,” she said. The bill stipulates that divorce will be granted to: the petitioner who has been separated de facto from his/her spouse for at least five years and reconciliation is highly improbable; to the petitioner who has been legally separated from his/her spouse for at least two years and reconciliation is improbable. Divorce will also be granted when: any of the grounds for legal separation under paragraph (a) of Article 55 of the Family Code has caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage; when one or both spouses is psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations; and when the spouses suffer from irreconcilable differences that have caused irreparable breakdown of the marriage.

Administration lawmakers, however, said the bill is prone to abuse. They also believe that the social cost of divorce is high.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rodriguez said the phrase “irreconcilable differences” is broad and that the bill itself would violate Article II Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution which states: “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” Deputy Senior Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the bill is unlikely to be approved because the spouses of lawmakers who would vote in favor of it might suspect that they intend to divorce them. He maintains that marriage is a life-long commitment. “Marriage is not like lotto that if you do not win, you make a bet again or try as many combinations you want. That’s why we say our marriage vows ‘for richer and for poorer... till death do us part’,” he said. – With Paolo Romero