DAVAO City Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD) head Lorna Mandin lauds the passing of the Divorce Bill on the committee level.
"Gi-consolidate ang lain-laing version, makalipay na naaprove sa committee level nga kanang pro-women man gud siya so naay dungag na avenue for couples na kana ganing irreconcilable marriages (Various versions were consolidated and it makes me happy that it was approved on the committee level because it is pro-women and it is an added avenue for couples with irreconcilable marriages)," she said.
She said it is a sad reality that couples really resort to options to separate.
Mandin said this law should be properly crafted so that it will not be abused and would lead to broken families that can affect children.
"There is a need for a social preparation and education on strengthening of marriages so that it will not reach divorce, divorce should be the last resort," she said.
She said as of the moment only those who have money can pay for annulment and while the poor cannot.
"So the new bill will give options to the couples. Hopefully it will be well crafted and of course it will still undergo deliberations in the senate and congress. I am sure the church will take its stand, it is not that easy," she said.
She added that it is a welcome move that many women already wished and vouched for.
Mandin said the passing of Divorce Bill has been pushed in previous years of Davao City’s Women's Summit.
"It was mentioned in the summit, and we forward it to President Rodrigo Duterte, who said that it will be hard to pass this bill. But we said that divorce be enacted into law," she said.
Mandin added that she is hopeful that once it Divorce bill is passed into law, it will have no grey areas during implementation.