THE chair of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality said yesterday that while the House of Representatives has made significant strides in advancing pro-women legislation, the Senate is sitting on important measures such as the House-approved bill seeking to legalize absolute divorce.
“Tulad ng dati, siyempre naantala dun sa Senate. So, what’s new, right? (As always, it got stuck in the Senate. So what’s new?)” Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, the first transgender member of the House of Representatives, told reporters.
The administration lawmaker made the comment as the country celebrates Women’s Month.
Roman said the passage of the divorce bill in the House is a “major win” for women’s rights because it seeks to provide an option for women trapped in “toxic and dangerous marriages.
“We all know that despite all best efforts, many marriages fail and women are in very toxic relationships. Sometimes, they also face physical dangers. So, we are proud to say that we passed the divorce bill here in the House of Representatives,” Roman said.
The House, in May last year, approved House Bill No. 9349, principally authored by the late Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, an opposition leader, who wanted to legalize absolute divorce and allow the dissolution of problematic marriages to liberate couples.
Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela), a co-author of the bill, has been urging the Senate leadership to include in the list of the Upper House’s priority bills Senate Bill No. 2443 or the proposed “Dissolution of Marriage Act,” which has been pending for passage on second reading since September 18, 2023.
The militant lawmaker said the Senate has to recognize that there is “an urgent need to provide a legal remedy for individuals trapped in abusive and irreparable marriages.”
Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, who is running for the Senate under the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, underscored the need to further improve the government’s support for women, children, and senior citizens.
Speaking during the Women’s Month celebration led by Avanche Isabelina in Luna town Isabela over the weekend, Villar vowed to continue her efforts to promote women’s empowerment, maternal and reproductive health, as well as mental health awareness.
“All of us need to be healthy during delivery because when mommy is healthy, the baby is healthy. Not only that, we’ll take care of your children,” she said.
If allowed to serve as senator after the May 2025 polls, Villar said she plans to continue her advocacy to provide schoolchildren with books and other school supplies to help advance their education, especially since, by doing so, she will just be continuing her “Handog Karunungan” book donation drive.
The outgoing representative added that she is looking to provide additional benefits for senior citizens so they can cover their expenses for maintenance medicines.
