Getting married, divorced

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – Despite the prophesy of the Mayan Calendar that Dec. 12, 2012 would be the “end of the World,” more than a dozen couples tied the knot here during the “lucky date,” the last triple number sequence date of the century.

Christmas should be a time for loving, was their sentiment. Besides, they said, the cool weather of this City of Pines made it an ideal venue for honeymoon. So who cares about the end of the world, might as well die loving.

The past years, church records here bared most coupes married in the month of June. But this year, Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Diocese of Baguio City and Benguet said December was chosen by more couples particularly Dec. 12 notwithstanding the doomsday scenario.

Cenzon said the “end of the world” could not be predicted as only God knows when life should end. Doomsday was not given much importance in this summer capital as most parishes were booked for weddings.

“I was requested to solemnize several weddings this December due to the busy schedules of parish priests in wedding ceremonies and other tasks in their churches,” Cenzon said.

Explaining why many couples choose to get married in the last month of the year, Cenzon said, “December is a time to celebrate life, inaalala natin ang Pasko at ang kapanganakan ni Cristo.” The Bishop added weather in  December here is good as no strong  typhoons were  expected

Cenzon earlier reminded marrying couples not to put meaning  on wedding  dates such as 12-12-12.  “Para sa akin ang mga numbers na ganyan is a matter of choice, para madaling maalala.”

According to the bishop, the true essence of getting married is having a family and making marriage work between couples. “Marriage is a two-way traffic, they have to make it work, it does not depend on the weather, it does not depend on the time, nasa attitude.”

Meanwhile,   couples Reniel Laureta, 27, and Allesie Gail Abubo, 29, told the media they chose   to get married Dec. 12 since the “lucky date” happens once in a lifetime and the last triple digit sequence of the century. 

Laureta said they originally planned to get married on Oct. 11, 2012 or 10-11-12 but decided on 12-12-12 at the Baguio Cathedral where the grandparents of the bride also  got married.

Abubo  added  they  decided to marry on that date to let their visitors coming from Manila, where the groom is from, and elsewhere  to  enjoy the city’s cool  climate  especially  in  December when  the temperature drops.

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While there are others who would like to get married, there are others who would like to get “un-married” like those who would like to get out from the mess they are in fast – through a divorce law considering that getting annulments in this Banana Republic takes long, very tedious and expensive.  

Before the Christmas break, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. expressed support for a long-pending bill seeking to legalize divorce in the country, but said the controversial measure would not likely be passed in the 15th Congress. “It’s hard for a couple when the situation becomes intolerable,” he added.        

Belmonte’s remarks came after the House and the Senate on Dec. 17 passed the Reproductive Health bill that was strongly opposed by the Catholic Church.

House Bill 1799, seeking to legalize divorce, was filed by Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan.

The measure has remained pending before the committee on revision of laws since 2011. It is also strongly opposed by Catholic bishops who said it would destroy families.

Ilagan, however, said House leaders should not be quick to dismiss the divorce bill.“While many consider the proposal to introduce divorce in the Philippines as highly controversial, this should not prevent the bill from going through the entire course of the legislative mill. Let us not close doors on divorce and instead, give the bill a fair chance,” she said in a statement.

“We should at the very least be open to discussions and hear all arguments for and against the measure,” she added.

Ilagan said bills should not automatically be dismissed or shelved just because the Catholic Church opposes it.

She said while the divorce bill may not be acceptable to certain sectors, it is a much-needed measure for many women and men trapped in violent, abusive and irreparable marriages.

Bayan Muna Rep. Ner iColmenares earlier said the need for the enactment of a divorce law has become urgent as the number of couples seeking to annul their marriages continued to increase, at over 8,000 cases as recorded by the Office of the Solicitor General in 2011.