Marriage expiration and...renewal?!

 Courtesy of the Manila Bulletin

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The proposal of a women’s partylist group [more like radical feminist group to me!] to prescribe expiration dates on marriage contracts has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers, with at least one senator saying the proposal is a good starting point for discussing current social issues.

“It’s a reflection of what is happening in our society,” Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said in the vernacular, apparently referring to the growing clamor from women for more rights and social freedoms. [more like a reflection of the growing radicalism and secularism in this vastly Catholic country!]

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr. for his part said he finds the idea floated by the 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA) as funny. [I find it outrageous!]

The group’s main advocacy is “to help women become economically empowered by helping them become entrepreneurs, giving them better employment, providing sources of livelihood, access to capital, and other ways to make women financially independent.” [and where is marriage license renewal in all of these?]

“It’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in my life. Ibig sabihin trial lang ang marriage? (Does it mean marriage is just a trial?),” Pimentel said of the group’s novel proposal.

The issue of a marriage contract with expiration will certainly go against the majority belief that marriage is a sacred union, Pimentel added. [It is not a majority belief, it is a universal belief held by most religions in the world!]

Aside from the Philippines being a predominantly Christian country, Pimentel pointed out that the Philippine Constitution also recognizes the family as the basic unit of society. [precisely!  the proposal is un-constitutional!]

“It will go against the Constitutional provision that family is the basic foundation of society. Certainly the proposal will also go against majority beliefs,” Pimentel said.

Even in a country which exercises democracy, women still experience inequality, Cayetano said, although he agreed with Pimentel’s view that the family is the basic unit of society.

Cayetano, in an interview, said he sees the proposal as a good starting point for discussing social issues, but the senator said he doubts whether efforts to introduce such measure in Congress would succeed since many lawmakers are still conservative.

“Kung divorce nga hindi mapag-usapan, iyon pa kaya,” Cayetano said. [Thank God!]

The proponents said a 10-year expiration on marriages would give couples the opportunity to review their relationship, and decide whether to continue or not with the union.

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I saw a panel discussion of this proposal done on live nationwide TV this morning just as I was to leave for work.

The position of the women's group:  Since annulments and broken marriages are on the rise, might as well put an expiration date on the marriage contract and let the couples decide if they want to renew it.

Ok let's put things in perspective.

One, renew marriage licenses.  Like renewing driver's license?  License to carry firearms?  STOOOPID.

Two, since annulments are rampant might as well legalize it.  Following suit, let's legalize graft and corruption since it is SOOOO institutionalized in the government.  Let's legalize drug trafficking and drug addiction since it is SOOO rampant in the country especially in that despicable night club in Fort Bonifacio.  STOOOPID.

If in case the couples decide not to renew the license, what happens to their children who are just...10 years old or maybe a few year younger?  Isn't it the job of government and society to strengthen and keep marriages together?


Marriage is a relationship and an institution.  It is not a mere piece of paper and a ritual.  You cannot choose who your parents and relatives will be, but you can choose who your spouse will be.  And in nature as in life, there are certain conditions, one of these is that marriage is a declaration of a man and a woman, publicly professing their love for each other "in sickness and in health 'til death do them part".  It is the basic unit of society without which any civilized nation would survive.  That is the reason why there is no such thing as a gay marriage because gay people cannot pro-create!  And pro-creation is the way for the survival of the world.  That is how nature works and that is how society works.

The representative of the women's rights group even said she blamed the Church for the strict rules on marriages, for not allowing divorce or a quick way out of a troubling relationship.

I love what the guest priest in the panel discussion said in response, "Let us not blame society and even the Church for the problems of a relationship.  First and foremost, it is the responsibility of the couples to nurture that relationship as in other relatioships.  The Church's role is to bless the union that the couples made in front of God and His people and to make sure that that union stays strong until the moment of death."

As for this proposal, it sends red flags everywhere; signs that radical feminism is creeping into Philippine society and it is not a good thing!

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By the way, I don't want to do this but I have no choice...

This party list group 1-Ako Babaeng Astig Aasenso (1-ABAA) gave me the nail to their coffin.  And I would gladly hammer it down!

I hope you remember that too on May 10, 2010!