CEBU, Philippines – Hundreds of devotees marched the streets of Cebu in a prayer rally on Saturday, July 27, to protest against the possibility of legalizing divorce in the Philippine.
In a homily given during the rally mass, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma told devoted Catholics and couples struggling in mariages to seek happiness in God and the family.
“To the couples that say it is difficult. Have you tried drawing close to God? I would like to believe most sincerely, that the grace of God is sufficient whether in the priesthood or married life,” the archbishop said.
Palma likened the stance that devotees should take on divorce to music. He said that if the music is good, people should vibe to it, and if it was “yabag” — the Cebuano word for off key — people should drop it.
The archbishop, however, acknowledged that couples still face problems at home but encouraged them to find ways to reconcile and to think of their children.
“We should not apologize, we should not feel sorry, and we should not try to explain ngano nagdili kita kay ang akong simpleng pagtan-aw—yabag (why we are against it because in my simple understanding of it—it is off key),” Palma said.
The archbishop called on devotees to banner the slogan, “Yes to Marriage and the Family: No to Divorce.”
Family matters
Widow Marilou Dalapo, 59, was among many devotees that attended the prayer rally on Saturday. Despite the heavy rain, Dalapo wished to join her fellow parishioners in preaching the bad effects of divorce.
“If there would be a divorce, the family would be destroyed and of course, the children would be affected,” Dalapo said.
The widow believes that if the family can stay together, it would help the growth of their children, especially when brought up within the walls of the Church and its teachings.
Dalapo said that she and her fellow parishioners have helped couples in struggling marriages through counseling, stating that the usual problems revolved around financial issues and cheating partners among others.
For her, physically-abusive partners need only to be given time and distance to “realize the wrongs” committed during their relationship and seek forgiveness from their partners.
“You can still run away, but time will come, most especially when you become closer to God, and the Holy Spirit, it will be resolved,” the widow said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
Dalapo emphasized that more families would be broken when divorce would be introduced. When asked to explain her logic further, the widow told Rappler that there would be more broken families because struggling couples would “forget about God” in everything.
Based on 2020 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country has over 1.64 million persons aged ten years and over who were either divorced, separated, or annulled.
Why persecute the suffering?
In a statement sent to Rappler on Sunday, July 28, the Divorce Pilipinas Coalition (DPC) Cebu Chapter responded to claims that divorce would destroy families in the country.
“To anti-divorce advocates, we understand your concerns but believe that the current system is flawed. Legalizing divorce would not necessarily lead to higher rates but would provide a safety net for those trapped in abusive relationships,” their statement read.
The Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP WCPC) reported that in 2023, there were 17,681 cases of violence against children, with some of these cases allegedly perpetrated by married parents.
“The Bible teaches compassion—does Christ tell you to force people to stay in abusive marriages or persecute those who suffer, even if they don’t share your beliefs,” DPC said in their statement.
The organization urged anti-divorce advocates to adopt a more understanding stance and to consider the real-life experiences of those affected by abusive relationships and households.
“This is not about you; it’s about giving those who need an option to move on. The bill is for those who have been separated for a long time, trapped in a cadaver of marriage, like many solo parents,” DPC added. – Rappler.com