"Divorce isn't such a tragedy. A tragedy's staying in an unhappy marriage, teaching your children the wrong things about love. Nobody ever died of divorce," - Jennifer Weiner.

I write this petition with a heavy heart, as a child of a broken family. My parents, though still legally married, have been separated for years. They both have found love and built new families with other partners. My mother longs to formalize her relationship with my stepfather, and I know my father feels the same about his new family. However, because divorce is not legal in the Philippines, they are trapped in a legal limbo. They cannot move forward, cannot truly find happiness, and cannot fully commit to their new families, all because of a law that refuses to acknowledge the realities of modern life. This situation is not just unfair to my parents, but to me and countless others who are caught in the middle of this outdated legal system. We deserve the right to see our parents happy, to have our families recognized, and to live in a society that acknowledges the complexities of love and relationships.  

The Philippines stands at a crossroads. We are a nation that values family and religion, but we are also a nation that must acknowledge the realities of modern life. For too long, our laws have failed to recognize that not all marriages are meant to last, and that sometimes, the most loving and compassionate act is to allow a marriage to end. Legalizing divorce is not about tearing families apart; it's about recognizing the right of individuals to choose their own paths, to escape toxic relationships, and to pursue happiness. It's about promoting gender equality by protecting women and men from abusive situations and breaking the stigma associated with divorce. It's about improving the well-being of individuals by reducing stress and anxiety, and creating a more just society by recognizing that not all marriages can be salvaged.  

The current system, with its reliance on annulment, is a costly and arduous process, often inaccessible to many Filipinos. Annulment is extremely difficult to prove and significantly more expensive than a divorce. It is time to recognize that the right to end a marriage should not be contingent on religious beliefs or financial resources. We urge you to consider the needs of all Filipinos, regardless of their faith, and to recognize that the right to divorce is a fundamental human right.  

 It is important to recognize that not everyone adheres to the strong religious sentiments that some people may have against divorce. Atheists, agnostics, and people of other faiths who want to formally register their union through civil marriage are all found in the Philippines. It is unfair and goes against the basic tenets of a secular society to deny them the ability to divorce only because it goes against the views of a certain religious sect. 

The time has come for the Philippines to acknowledge a difficult but necessary truth: not all marriages are meant to last. For many, the promise of "until death do us part" becomes a cruel reality, trapping them in unhappy and even abusive relationships. Divorce is not a failure; it is a pathway to freedom, a chance to reclaim one's life and pursue happiness and fulfillment.

I stand before you today, advocating for the legalization of divorce in our country, a change that will empower couples and the citizens. Whether it's irreconcilable differences, abuse, or simply the realization that their paths have diverged, couples should have the right to choose a future that aligns with their well-being and happiness. Divorce is not a threat to the sanctity of marriage; it is a recognition that some marriages, despite the best intentions, cannot be salvaged.