MANILA — Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros is urging her colleagues to deliberate on and approve the long-standing proposal for a dissolution of marriage law, better known as the divorce bill.

Stressing she respects the sanctity of marriage, Hontiveros, a widow, however raised the plight of troubled unions.

"[M]y happy experience does not render me blind to the reality that not all marriages are like this. Sabi nga ni Rep. Edcel Lagman, ang champion ng panukalang ito sa House, this bill is not for those in happy marriages. They are for those trapped in a marriage in need of a lifeline out. Para sa kanila, ang kasal ay hindi santuwaryo, kundi isang selda. Selda na panghabambuhay dahil walang nabibigay na rekurso ang ating batas. " Hontiveros said.

(For those who need a lifeline out of marriage, marriage is not a sanctuary but a cell. It is a cell for life because there is no recourse under the law)

Hontiveros emphasized that the absence of a law allowing the dissolution of marriage is not merely a legal oversight but a moral failing.

"It is a failure to protect our citizens, particularly women and children, who are often the most vulnerable in dysfunctional marriages. It is a failure to provide an avenue for healing, for the restoration of dignity, and for the pursuit of true happiness." Hontiveros said.

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Hontiveros rebutted critics of the Dissolution of Marriage Bill who argue that such a law would weaken the institution of marriage and erode the moral fabric of our society.

"Ano ba ang mas malaking sugat sa lipunan, isang sistemang bulag sa mga pasakit na sinasapit ng ating mga kababayan sa ilalim ng isang toxic at abusadong pagsasama, o isang sistema na nagbibigay ng paraan at remedyo para makalaya, maghilom, at magsimula muli?"

(What would be more harmful society? A system blind to the suffering of those in toxic and abusive relationships, or a system that gives the option to be free, heal and start again?)

She acknowledged that the Constitution guarantees the protection of the family as the basic social institution but said the protection should be of the substance and not just the form of the family.

"A family is not merely a legal construct; it is a living, dynamic entity that thrives on love, respect, and mutual support. When these elements are absent, the family ceases to fulfill its role in society, and we, as lawmakers, must act to protect the individuals within it." Hontiveros said.

"We must also recognize the impact of our inaction on the next generation. Children who grow up in homes marked by conflict and abuse are more likely to carry the scars of these experiences into their own adult lives. By providing a legal means to dissolve a marriage that has become harmful, we offer these children the chance to grow up in environments where peace, rather than conflict, is the norm."

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She urged her colleagues at the Senate, many of whom have said they would prefer an easier path to annulment of marriages, to "have the courage to bring about meaningful change."

Except for Vatican City, the nominally predominantly Catholic but also nominally secular Philippines is the only country in the world that does not have a divorce law.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines in July said it will not change its stance on divorce but acknowledged that "the Church is in no position to dictate on the State what is best for Filipino families."

It added: "We know that our stubborn assertion that a genuine marriage cannot be dissolved, is not necessarily shared by all religions; and we respect that.