SAGIP Party-List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (Dexter Barro II/MANILA BULLETIN)

Instead of pursuing an absolute divorce bill, Congress should prioritize legislation that enables the government to intervene between a married couple once signs of separation appear, said SAGIP Party-List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

During a news forum on the heavily contentious measure, Marcoleta says both the House of Representatives and Senate were lagging behind on legislation that seeks to protect and strengthen marriage as indicated under the 1987 Constitution.

“Kung papansinin po ninyo, wala man lang pong ginawa ang Congress para magsabatas yung protection at development na isinasaad ng Saligang Batas tungkol sa mga pamilya at sa mga marriages,” the congressman explained.

(If you've noticed, Congress did not even do anything to legislate protection and development of families and marriages that is provided for by the Constitution.)

“Meron na po ba kayong alam na batas na ginawa namin, ng Kongreso? Bakit nakalimutan po ito?” he asked.

(Are you aware of the law that we, in Congress, made? Why was this forgotten?)

Marcoleta cited Section 12, Article 2 of the Constitution, which he said explicitly expressed the country’s devotion to family life.

“The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution,” it read.

To further prove his point, the party-list lawmaker gave an example of the situation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). He says this is among the primary reasons behind broken families.

“Ito realidad po…Yung babae o lalaki napunta ibang bansa, may maiiiwan dito, natutukukso sila, nasisira talaga ang pamilya. At the first sign sana na pupunta sa ibang bansa—magtatrabaho ang isang spouse—papasok na po sana ang estado, pupunta na sana doon yung DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), titignan, bakit po kayo aalis? Ano po dahilan?” he said.

(This is the reality... A woman or man who goes to another country, their partner is left behind here, they are then tempted, and the family will be destroyed. At the first sign of going to a foreign country—where a spouse would work—the State should interfere, the DSWD would have gone there, look, why are you leaving? What's the reason?)

Marcoleta, a vocal critic of divorce proposals, insisted that families must remain intact given that they are a basic unit of society, as well as the “foundation of the nation”.

“Nakalulungkot po rito, wala man lang batas na ginawa ang Kongreso patungkol dito, ang ginawa pa ay batas para usigin ang pamilya,” he added, referring to the absolute divorce bill.

(What’s sad here is that Congress didn't even propose a law regarding this, what was proposed was a law to prosecute the family.)

While he recognizes that not every married couple has “good fortune”, the SAGIP solon insists that each partner should maintain the sanctity of their marriage. “For better or for worse,” he said.

Marcoleta further said that annulment and legal separation should already be enough remedy for husbands and wives, although he did argue that some are only pursuing divorce for a chance to remarry.

“Hindi ka pa ba na-trauma? Bakit ka pa mag-aasawa kung talaga yun lang ang gusto mo?” he stressed.

(Were you not traumatized? Why would you get married if that's all you really want?)

“May kasabihan po tayong mga Pilipino, ang isang pagkakamali, hindi natututuwid ng isa pang pagkakamali,” he added.

(We Filipinos have a saying, one mistake cannot be corrected by another mistake.)