For continuously failing to solve our country’s poverty problem, some members of Congress and the Executive seem to be bent on intruding into, instead of protecting the more personal aspects of the citizens’ life — marriage and family. Aside from the RH bill, they are now proposing a Divorce bill. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA, Philippines—The absence of divorce in the country is a “point of honor for the Philippines,” according to the new papal nuncio, suggesting that the Vatican favored the Catholic Church’s opposition to legislation allowing divorce here. Read the rest of this entry »

Marriage is losing its luster for many in the Philippines, with an increasing number of couples starting families out of wedlock, the government census office said yesterday.

More than 37 percent of the 1.78 million babies born in Asia’s Roman Catholic outpost in 2008 had unmarried mothers, it said in a statement, citing results of the latest population census. Read the rest of this entry »

MANILA — When citizens of the small Mediterranean nation of Malta voted in a referendum last month to legalize divorce, they reignited debate in the Philippines, one of the last countries, along with Vatican City, where divorce is still banned. Read the rest of this entry »

There are only two countries in the world without a divorce law: Malta and the Philippines. Both are Catholic-dominated nations governed by politicians who are afraid to antagonize the bishops who seem to be more popish than the pope in their dogmatic interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. But Malta is expected to finally enact a divorce law after its citizens recently approved the measure through a referendum. What now for the Philippines? Read the rest of this entry »

Whose agenda is it anyway? Divorce is demanded in the name of women-empowerment. But if it is to be a law—and a just law, as laws ought to be!—then it ought to be empowerment of men and women alike. The absence of a divorce law at present imposes a disability on both men and women, so why should it be championed as if its defeat would be a setback for women’s rights? Is it really the nation’s agenda, because I cannot assume that it is. In many respects, it looks very much like a challenge to the authority of the Church. If it is, it would be puerile. You do not pass a law to embarrass a sector of society. In other respects, it smacks of sophistry: If other countries have divorce, why don’t we? If it this specious, it should not be passed because we should endeavor at all times to be reasonable. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear PAO,
I am asking for help, I’m a single mom. What should I do? I want to ask for financial support for my child who is 7 years old. His father is working in a company but if I don’t force him to give money he will not give any for our son. He doesn’t give monthly allowances and if he does, he only gives P1,000. In a year, he maybe only gives three times to four times. I need the monthly support for my kid since the father has a stable job. He’s married with children. I hope you can help me.

Thank you.

Jo-ann Read the rest of this entry »

Something is wrong with our sense of values if we prefer imitations instead of the real thing. We will never have a strong sense of nationalism or love of country if we are fond of things imported than of things made here. Yet some members of our Congress particularly some leftist groups with alleged “nationalistic” agenda is introducing something imported, an imitation of a bill on divorce which is clearly contrary to our treasured customs and traditions and undermines a long established institution we hold sacred because it is the most basic foundation on which our nation is built. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear PAO,
I am single and I want to know if I can get married with a married guy. He has been separated for like 10 years now. His ex-wife has 2 kids already with another man. Is it possible that we can be married even if my partner is already married before? Thanks.
Ladyleo Read the rest of this entry »

Dear PAO,
I am an Australian male and I am very interested in a particular woman from the Philippines. We have met several times and are both interested in taking the relationship further. Her three children approve of me, which is great. However, she is married. On the other hand, she has been separated from her husband following a long history of physical abuse. Read the rest of this entry »