LOS ANGELES (June 15) — Recalling the overthrow of the Spanish colonian and feudal yoke over the Philippine territory, society and governance 111 years ago, Gabnet of the Mariposa Alliance has issued a statement calling for the eradication of the remnant feudal paradigm within which marriage operates in the archipelago.
In response to a long-held and articulated grievance by Filipina women, Gabnet launched June 12 the Dollar for Divorce (D4D) campaign, as a means of helping the Filipina place the most fundamental of her relationships on a rational basis. Gabnet said the ability to end a partnership is also a means to resolve such issues as child support, welfare and care. These are vital to Filipinas who have managed to build new lives in the lands to which, ironically, they have been thrown by the Philippine government’s labor export policy, Gabnet said.
According to the Gabnet, the ending of marriages was a recognized and accepted solution in pre-Hispanic Philippine society. It now finds it ironic that while divorce is recognized in Spain itself and the rest of the Hispanic world, the Philippines remains, along with Malta, as the last hold-out to the delusion of “till-death-do-us-part.”
Gabnet also claims “it is not only ironic but insulting to the Filipina that this concept should prevail, even as they are being exported to over 200 countries, in separations of five, ten, fifteen years from their families, particularly their children.”
The D4D campaign will consist of public events and discussions on the issue toward movement building within the Filipino-American community which continues to have strong ties with the Philippine national society.
