Divorce is the New Black

The Philippines is the only country in the World that does not support divorce. If divorce was the new Black, the Philippines would still be wearing.. well, not black. Why is this so? What part of the Philippine context is responsible for this? Is divorce a much needed change from Annulment? What is the deal, and why don’t I get it? Here are a set of assumptions I’ve been sporting thus far.

“Maybe because Philippines is predominantly Catholic”

Any religious denomination that acknowledges the family as a loving and caring fundamental block that makes up our society will resent anything that helps split it up. The Philippine Church will always resort to a much more subtle way of doing things. Annulment, the process of nulling or voiding a marriage sports the initial function of divorce, without the “competition” and the “mess” involved. The Church and all its power in the country, has the loudest voice, a voice that our congress will think twice ignoring.

But let us also take into account that there have been many other countries colonized by Spain, the same way they colonized the Philippines. Many countries have had the same Catholic movement, influence and power that our Church possesses. Many other countries are predominantly Catholic yet provide the choice between a divorce and annulment. What sets the Philippines apart from all of these other countries?

“Maybe because our State is not capable of accommodating the Process”

The country might not be able to accommodate the overhaul of the system, since it requires a great amount of time, focus and resource that can be used for other more pressing problems. The Philippine government should just settle with the present option, which is Annulment. There are many other different things besides divorce that needs focus right now.

Although recent research show the increasing number of Annulments filed in the Philippines, and that there is a great rise in marital separations the past few years. Doesn’t the government feel the “need” to enforce more options for an issue that’s making its way up the newspapers and public arguments?

“Maybe Philippine society isn’t ready”

The country might not be able to deal with the very western process of dealing with breakups. Maybe its because we’ve all been blindsiding the fact that the very strong Filipino family isn’t as invincible and invulnerable as we all so solidly assumed. Maybe these things, these changes can be accommodated by our pride, our Filipino resilience. Why fix something that isn’t necessarily broke—yet? We’ve not felt as affected as a nation as our other neighbors point us out to be. It’s possible that these changes would in theory hit Juan Dela Cruz’s curb real bad. We’re just not ready for that?

“Maybe because all of it isn’t necessary”

Maybe because it’s the complete opposite of what we all think. Maybe its true, that the mess, the complications, the system, isn’t something the Filipinos need. Its something that we can all live without.

OR

“Maybe, I just really don’t understand it yet”

Which is in itself, a really good theory.