Lay people reject divorce

IN line with the position of the Catholic Church, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (LAIKO) yesterday expressed staunch opposition to the legalization of divorce in the Philippines.

“Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas says no to divorce. We believe in the sanctity of marriage.

We believe in preparing the couple before marriage. We believe in supporting the married couple throughout their married life,” the lay organization said in a statement.

“We believe that there is a need for strong families, as such families are the backbone of Philippine society. We stand for solid marriages. We stand for strong families. We stand for a society with good values,” it added.

Worldwide, it is only in the Vatican City and in the Philippines where divorce is prohibited.

“All we need to do is look at the world and see what damage divorce has done, especially how the children suffer,” the group said.

The House of Representatives last month approved on final reading the divorce bill.

The Senate’s version remains pending. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has said the bill is not among the Senate’s priorities.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) earlier reiterated its opposition to the legalization of divorce in the country.

CBCP president Bishop Pablo David said this is because divorce is “not just as an agreement between two spouses, but as a covenant between the couple and God.”