Thursday, August 19, 2010

President Aquino Rejects Divorce in the Philippines

President Noynoy said divorce is a no-no and a Las-Vegas type marraige- married in the morning and divorce in the afternoon has no place in the Philippines. He made this remark while her very own sister, controversial actress and TV host Kris Aquino is going through a very public separation with husband James Yap. (Complete article embedded below or click here. BTW - please pardon the image I chose for this blog post I just thought its humorous).

Im glad President Noynoy made his position clear on the issue of divorce in the Philippines and I agree with him completely. Marriage is a sacrament not intended to be broken and people should do everything they can to keep it that way.

As for Kris Aquino's troubled marraige, whether you follow or avoid Kris Aquino on TV (I do the latter), like any other troubled marriages, we should pray for her and her husband that they're able to find God's grace and a healthy support group during this trying times. It's a tough road for them especially with young children. Kris and James are not officially annulled yet so they can still choose to mend their differences and decide to stay married. But with Kris' unpredictable and questionable history with relationships, I think only God knows what's next for them.


Aquino Rejects Divorce
Source URL: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/273120/aquino-not-vegastype-divorce

President Benigno S. Aquino III is opposed to the legalization of a Las Vegas-type divorce in the country as he remained mum about the marriage problems involving his youngest sister, Kris Aquino, and basketball star James Yap.

The President, speaking to reporters at the sidelines of a motor show in Pasay City, said he prefers legal separation although estranged couples should be allowed to remarry.

“My own personal position on this point, but a study has to be made, is divorce a no-no,” he said amid renewed proposals in Congress to legalize divorce in the country.

Aquino, a 50-year-old bachelor, said he cannot support a practice common in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, in which “the stereotype is you get married in the morning (and) you can get divorce in the afternoon.”

“But I do recognize that there have been unions that were wrong that no matter what interventions are done, no matter what counseling is done, they really can't stay together and there is danger to either one or both parties in that marriage particularly specially the children,” he said.

The President said couples who pursue legal separation should be allowed to marry again. “(In) legal separation, it will be very, very stringent. You really have to ascertain that there really are irreconcilable differences in a long period. Sa Tagalog parang padaanin sa sampung butas ng karayom siguro,” he said.

At the end of the day they should be allowed to remarry. We have legal separation today (but they) cant’ marry. Kawawa naman yung mga nagkamali (Pity those who made a mistake),” he added.

At present, the country allows legal separation and annulment. Once the court approves an annulment of marriage, the parties may choose to remarry.

A legal separation, on the other hand, allows spouses to live separately but does not cut the bonds of marriage. They are disallowed to marry again.

Although he was vocal on the debates whether to allow divorce in the country, the President said he is “duty-bound not to comment” on the petition sister to nullify her marriage to Yap. “If I say any opinion, it might influence the workings of the court, the fiscals,” he said.

Kris Aquino recently announced his breakup with James Yap and filed for the nullity of their marriage. The main ground for Kris’ petition was lack of authority of the solemnizing officer. The couple got married in a civil ceremony in July, 2005.
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2 comments:

  1. Marriage is a serious thing with Filipina women, especially for Filipina women who grew up in the Philippines. Be aware that there is no divorce in the Philippines, so people get married there seriously.

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  2. So sad that the president who lived in the US and knows it culture don't like divorce. He should know that our poverty begins with stupidy and laws. The family is the basic unit of the society as we say here but it is the cause why out country is so poor because we don't wanna change. The president is scared of the religious sectors. Those religious sectors are bunch of crap and wants the philippines to be over populated. Imagine half of the population gave them 1 peso each. They will have like 50 million in their pocket and yet there are lots of beggars on the street begging for food. I am pissed off.

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