Half of Filipino adults support legalizing divorce for “irreconcilably separated couples,” according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The SWS on Saturday released the results after interviewing over 1,500 Filipinos nationwide from March 21 to 25.
A total of 50 percent agreed (28 percent strongly agree and 22 percent somewhat agree) that “married couples who have already separated and cannot reconcile anymore should be allowed to divorce so that they can get legally married again.”
Meanwhile, 31 percent disagreed (12 percent somewhat disagree and 20 percent strongly disagree) and 17 percent were undecided on the matter.
The survey results, posted on May 31 and released on June 1, showed a net agreement score (percent agree minus percent disagree) of +19, classified by SWS as “moderately strong.”
However, this is “down” from the moderately strong +27 (55 percent agree, 27 percent disagree) in June 2023 and the record-high very strong +44 (65 percent agree, 21 percent disagree) in March 2023.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines remained firm in opposing the proposed divorce law, warning lawmakers they are supporting a measure that is “anti-family, anti-marriage and anti-children.”
“It’s a betrayal of their constitutional mandate to uphold marriage and the family,” said CBCP Spokesperson Father Jerome Secillano.
The House of Representatives earlier approved on third and final reading the absolute divorce bill, but the measure is facing an uphill battle in the Senate.
Based on an informal poll conducted by Senator Jinggoy Estrada as well as the public pronouncements of senators, eight are against the divorce measure while seven are in favor.
Aside from Estrada, Senate President Francis Escudero, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, and Senators Joel Villanueva, Ronald dela Rosa, Aquilino Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar and Juan Miguel Zubiri are against absolute divorce.
Those who were in favor were Senators Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, JV Ejercito and Pia Cayetano.
Under the measure passed by the House, the following are grounds for divorce: legal separation under Article 55 of the Family Code of the Philippines; annulment of marriage under Article 45 of the Family Code of the Philippines; separation of the spouses for at least five years at the time of the petition for absolute divorce is filed, and reconciliation is highly improbable; psychological incapacity as provided in Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines; and domestic or marital abuse to include acts under RA No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and and Their Children Act of 2004.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Half of Pinoys support divorce — SWS”
