Yesterday we had a discussion about family. My classmates were particularly eager to know about me since I am the only foreigner in the class. They asked all sorts of questions about a typical Filipino family. At some point of our discussion, I said that there is no divorce in the Philippines and they were all shocked and they immediately started firing questions at me regarding divorce in the Philippines?

Questions such as if you don’t have law on divorce, what happens to the kids when their parents separate? What if the couple doesn’t love each other anymore? What of the wife is a battered by the husband? Who supports the wife after separation since she can’t demand anything from the husband? Is there any law to protect the women? What about the kids, who supports them when parents are separated? What if you are married to a foreigner and the foreigner divorced you? And so on.

I’ll probably go to hell by stating this but I agree that the Philippines should accept and formulate a law on divorce. We already have annulment and it seems to be catering only to rich people since they can easily finance the annulment process. Legal separation and remarriage should also be extended to the poor. Why don’t we just accept divorce and make a clear and definite law about it? In this manner we will lessen the illegitimate kids born from parents who can no longer get married again since they were previously married to other persons. Divorce will protect both couples from being exploited and maltreated by the other in a marriage. Divorce will define responsibilities of the couple after the separation. Divorce will create more jobs. Imagine how many Psychologist, lawyers, accountant, and guidance counselors will get jobs when there is divorce?

I know a lot of conservatives will not agree but common’… do you still wear “saya”—the kind they used in the Spanish time? Not anymore, right? You probably still use “saya” but the one which is more modern…a “saya” which is design to fit the current fashion. Now my point is, we do value “family” but times have changed and I don’t suggest that we stop valuing it but I suggest that we broaden our views about what a family is. A child with his mom who is divorced is a family. A previously divorced man and a previously divorced woman married to each other is a family and etc. Now you get my point? What’s your take on this?