As we find ourselves midway through 2024, reflecting on the passage of time, significant developments in national legislation have unfolded.
In May, the House of Representatives made a decisive move by passing the divorce bill on its Third and Final Reading. The vote count stood at 126-109-20, signaling a momentous step toward legalizing divorce in the Philippines. Now, the spotlight shifts to the 24 senators, who must deliberate and pass their own version of the proposed Divorce Law.
However, pro-divorce advocates should temper their expectations. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has made it clear that the Divorce Bill is not a priority in the upper chamber. With the Catholic Church and other religious groups weighing in, the legislative process promises to be arduous.
Even Senate President Chiz Escudero maintains his staunch opposition to divorce. Given the current version of the bill pending in the Senate, as well as the one recently passed by the lower chamber, he believes that passage in its current form will face significant challenges.
An informal survey conducted by Sen. Estrada among 11 of his peers revealed a divided Senate. Six senators expressed support for the measure, including Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, and Raffy Tulfo. On the other side, Estrada himself, along with Senate President Tolentino, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Ronald dela Rosa, opposed the bill. The remaining 13 senators’ positions remain unknown.
Now here comes June, known as Pride Month, and brings with it the spotlight back to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression, or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) equality bill. Advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights eagerly anticipate the day when this legislation, aimed at promoting equality and protection, will finally become law.
Yet, the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies are well aware that passage is far from guaranteed. The bill’s journey began 24 years ago when Filipina activist and then-congresswoman Etta Rosales, along with the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, introduced it in Congress. Although it passed the third reading in the lower house, it encountered roadblocks in the Senate and has faced lobbying efforts without substantial progress.
The same can be said of the current 19th Congress. Last December, Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality Committee, unveiled Senate Bill 1600 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression, or Sex Characteristics Equality Act) under Committee Report No. 15 as a substitute for three bills aimed at combatting discrimination based on SOGIESC.
Unfortunately, despite its significance, the bill did not reach the plenary due to opposition from religious groups and various sectors. The Committee on Rules, chaired by former Majority Floor Leader Senator Villanueva, referred the committee report back for further consideration.
With the recent change in Senate leadership, including Escudero’s role, the fate of the SOGIESC bill remains uncertain. Notably, both Escudero and Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino were among the 19 senators who signed in favor of the committee report recommending SB 1600 championed by Sen. Hontiveros.
Meanwhile, House Bill (HB) No. 10176, its counterpart measure at the House of Representatives, has already reached plenary discussions last month, a year after it was approved at the committee level.
As we await further developments, the nation watches closely. Will the Divorce Law and the SOGIE Equality Bill finally see the light of day? Only time will tell. Abangan…
