Palma appeals to solons: Reflect

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is urging lawmakers to take their time to reflect on the bill that seeks to legalize dissolution of marriage.

The 67-year-old prelate said legislators should carefully look into the House Bill 6027 if its purpose is good for the people, as well as if such measure is within the true will of God.

The Church, he said, is starting to get scared of the possible consequences of the bill, which was proposed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and several lawmakers.

"It is a complex situation…we feel that we are always challenged...we feel we're beginning to be scared now (as) we think of the consequences," Palma said in an interview after he presided over the 10 a.m. Lapu-Lapu City’s fiesta mass in honor of Our Lady of the Rule.

Palma stressed that importance of upholding the sanctity of marriage and family.

"Marriage is sacred. It is the will of God that couple should live together, be generous to each other, to love each other to the extent of sacrificing. Many times, they're happy. Other times, they're sad. That's life," Palma said.

"The world is interested in the 'I' and 'me.’ We forgot about 'we'," he added.

Palma hopes that lawmakers will consider the concerns of the Church about the proposed bill.

"We're praying for you, we're praying for your enlightenment," he said.

Fr. Eligio Suico, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Family and Life Apostolate, earlier said children will suffer from identity crisis when their parents go their separate ways.

Suico reminded married couples that annulment itself is a difficult process so that only those who firmly believe that their marriage is null and void in the beginning would be willing to undergo the same.

"Now, if the bill would be passed, then anybody who is as egoistic as any of those involved in any vices would easily avail of the dissolution process to satisfy his or her own egoism," he said.

The bill providing for the dissolution of marriage was one of the priority measures that Alvarez would like the lower chamber to tackle in its regular session.

Alvarez earlier said the bill may be passed in the lower house before Christmas.

According to the bill, a marriage may be dissolved over irreconcilable differences or severe or chronic unhappiness.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Elmer Lim, the deputy city director for operations in Lapu-Lapu City, said there were no reported untoward incidents related to the fiesta activities, including yesterday’s fiesta mass which was attended by thousands of Oponganons, since November 19. (FREEMAN)