A Catholic bishop has expressed his disappointment following the House of Representatives’ approval of the Absolute Divorce Bill, which aims to legalize divorce in the Philippines.
“We are deeply saddened by the decision of 126 lawmakers in Congress to vote yes to the Divorce Bill,” Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy stated in a release by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on May 24.
Bishop Uy lamented the decision, stating that it undermines the sanctity of marriage as a “sacred covenant.” He emphasized the importance of upholding the Church’s teachings on marriage and family life. “May we all be inspired to work towards a society that honors and respects the sanctity of marriage,” he said.
Additionally, Bishop Uy urged the faithful to pray for senators to “be guided” in making the right decision and to not pass the Divorce Bill in the upper house. “May they consider the well-being of families and be inspired to serve society as a whole during their deliberations,” he added.
The CBCP’s public affairs body reiterated its stance against the bill, describing it as “anti-family, anti-marriage, and anti-children.” Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the CBCP’s public affairs office, stated, “It’s a betrayal of their constitutional mandate to uphold marriage and the family.”
Fr. Secillano also argued that divorce is “not the ultimate solution” to marital problems, pointing out that existing legal remedies for couple separation already exist. “Yet Congress decided to add more,” he noted.
