By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday she would refile the Dissolution of Marriage bill in the 20th Congress, affirming her continued advocacy for divorce legislation despite delays in the current Senate.
The bill, which has undergone two interpellations, remains pending on second reading, “‘Pag hindi pa rin mabigyang daan ’yong continuation of second reading, interpellation… we will simply refile. That’s my commitment,” Hontiveros said during the regular Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
She also expressed optimism that long-delayed measures, such as the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIESC) Equality Bill and the Anti-Teenage Pregnancy Bill, would gain traction in the new Congress, “I really hope that the 20th Congress…will finally be the Congress to pass the SOGIESC Equality Bill into law,” she said, noting that it has been refiled for at least 10 consecutive Congresses without being enacted.
Regarding the Anti-Teenage Pregnancy Bill, Hontiveros underscored the urgency of the measure, labeling teenage pregnancy as a “national emergency and criticizing disinformation that derailed progress on provisions, such as comprehensive sexuality education“ It really deserves to be passed alang-alang sa ating mga teenagers, sa ating mga teenage parents, at lahat pa ng mga stakeholders na sumusuporta sa ating mga teenagers,” she said.
