Filipinos split on support for proposed divorce bill

More women backed a law that would allow divorce in the Philippines, a survey firm said, adding that debates on divorce in Congress have also influenced more Filipinos to support the controversial bill. According to the survey, 50 per cent of Filipinos agree that estranged couples who could no longer reconcile should be allowed to seek divorce, said the Social Weather Station (SWS), based on a study done on 1,200 respondents in March. Sixteen per cent were undecided, SWS said, adding that many respondents believe that divorce would allow estranged couples to move on and seek their own happiness. The survey asked respondents one question, for or against divorce, and were not asked to explain other things. Six years ago, SWS found in a survey that 43 per cent wanted a divorce law to be passed, while 44 per cent disagreed with the measure. \"It was a big change,\" SWS said, adding that more Catholic Filipinos are now supporting divorce. The change of opinion in this year\'s survey came from single and married men; women and both sexes among the poor, said the SWS. The influential Catholic church has reacted to the ongoing debate in the House of Representatives on proposed legalisation of divorce. President Benigno Aquino has not yet supported the proposed bill. Recently, Aquino collided with the Catholic Church when he supported the passage of a controversial bill that allows the use of contraceptives, in government\'s subsidy of family planning among the poor. Last week, Malta where majority of residents are Catholics, voted for the legalisation of divorce. Divorce is banned in the Philippines and the city state of Vatican. From / Gulf News