Divorce bill ‘unconstitutional’

June 2, 2011

MANILA — The proposed measure seeking the legalization of divorce in the country may not be approved after several lawmakers expressed their opposition during a House committee hearing Wednesday.
Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez said House Bill 1799 filed by Gabriela Representatives Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan is against the spirit and text of the 1987 Constitution.

Rodriguez cited Article 15, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states: “Marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the State.”
“It will not be enacted because couples will surely have differing views,” Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas quipped.
“If there is a need for a divorce, the Constitution has to be amended first,” he added.
Independent pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS), however, showed Wednesday that public support for divorce for separated couples vastly improved over the past six years.
The non-commission survey of SWS, conducted between March 4 and 7, revealed that one in two Filipinos are now backing the measure.
amon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Economic Reform, told Sun.Star that divorce is not yet a mature issue, thus there is possibility that the figures may change.
The Philippines looms to be the lone country without a divorce after residents of tiny European state Malta voted to legalize the controversial measure strongly opposed by the Catholic Church.
The divorce bill in the country will have to be approved at the House committee on revision of laws before members of the House of Representatives debate on it in the plenary.
The legislation has been filed since the 13th Congress by then-Gabriela congresswoman Liza Maza.
But lawyer Jo Imbong, legal counsel of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), asserted that divorce is against the Constitution.
The absence of an absolute divorce in the country has actually kept marriages together, he said.
“How many divorces can one have? How many spouses can one abandon? Divorce begets divorce. Is it correct to claim that absolute divorce is the last resort?” Imbong said.
Pro-marriage bill
Imbong also decried why members of Congress propose legislation that would nullify marriage, but no measures have been proposed to strengthen marriages.
Lawyer Evalyn Ursua, a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law, meanwhile, said the Filipinos cannot continue to oppose the divorce law simply because they are allergic to the term “divorce”.
She pointed out that the possible existence of a divorce law in the country will not be a reason for a failed marriage since several factors, including forced migration and poverty, have caused the separation of most couples.
“No prohibition on divorce will stop failed marriages; failed marriages happen every day…Our duty to our people is to give remedies that respect their religious views. Whether they are Catholic or not, they should have a choice,” Ursua added.
Ilagan urged her colleagues to pass a measure, which could give couples in abusive and irreparable marriages the option of divorce.
3 remedies
The Family Code that governs marriage and family relations in our country provides three remedies to marriages.
These are declaration of nullity, annulment and legal separation.
House Bill 1799 introduces another remedy, the remedy of divorce.
The authors of the divorce bill said their proposal is not modeled after divorce systems of other countries, calling it “divorce, Filipino- style.”
Under the measure, couples who may apply for divorce should have been separated for five years and those already legally separated for two years. (Kathrina Alvarez/With Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/06/02/divorce-bill-unconstitutional-158847
Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com