The Philippines remains one of the few nations in the world—alongside the Vatican City—that does not permit absolute divorce. This position is not merely a cultural artifact but a principled stance rooted in natural law, Catholic moral theology, and a deep understanding of the common good. As conservative Catholics and Filipinos, we hold that marriage is a sacred covenant, not a contract to be dissolved at will.
The Nature of Marriage
Marriage, understood through the lens of natural law and Catholic teaching, is more than a civil arrangement. It is a covenant between a man and a woman, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "the matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring" (Catholic Church, 1997, no. 1601).
The Theological Foundation
Our Lord Jesus Christ explicitly taught the indissolubility of marriage: "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6). This teaching was reaffirmed by the Council of Trent, which declared that the marriage bond cannot be dissolved on account of heresy, domestic incompatibility, or willful desertion (Council of Trent, 1563, Session XXIV, Canon 5).
The Social and Familial Consequences of Divorce
Empirical research consistently demonstrates the harmful effects of divorce on children and society. Wallerstein et al. (2000) conducted a landmark 25-year longitudinal study showing that children of divorce suffer long-term psychological effects, including increased rates of depression, lower academic achievement, and difficulties in forming lasting relationships.
The Philippine Context
The 1987 Philippine Constitution, in Article XV, Section 2, declares that "marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the State." The Family Code of the Philippines provides for legal separation and annulment under specific circumstances, offering remedies for genuinely problematic marriages without destroying the institution itself.
Our Position
We affirm that marriage is a sacred, permanent union between one man and one woman. We oppose the legalization of absolute divorce in the Philippines because it would undermine the family, harm children, and erode the moral foundations of our society.
References
- Amato, P. R., & Cheadle, J. (2005). The long reach of divorce. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(1), 191–206.
- Aquinas, T. (1948). Summa Theologica. Benziger Bros.
- Catholic Church. (1997). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
- Council of Trent. (1563). Session XXIV: Doctrine on the sacrament of matrimony.
- Executive Order No. 209. (1987). The Family Code of the Philippines.
- John Paul II. (1981). Familiaris consortio. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
- MacIntyre, A. (1981). After virtue: A study in moral theory. University of Notre Dame Press.
- Philippine Constitution. (1987). Article XV, Section 2.
- Pontifical Council for the Family. (2000). Family, marriage and de facto unions. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
- Pope Benedict XVI. (2005). Deus caritas est. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
- Wallerstein, J. S., Lewis, J. M., & Blakeslee, S. (2000). The unexpected legacy of divorce. Hyperion.