Split Decision

Privileged Hour

Today's a big day for the 20th Congress senators, for the 2027 National Budget's up for sponsorship, and budget debates will commence the following day. With plenary sessions running from early morning to the wee hours of the night, all committee hearings will be put on hold, and all hands will be on deck to get the budget signed before the year ends.

But before JV, the current Finance Committee chair, sponsors the budget, Risa, with the Committee on Rules, placed a final batch of privilege speeches on today's agenda. One of the said speeches would be her privileged speech pushing for the legalization of divorce in the country.

She and Pia, the main proponents of the divorce bill, tried to move it forward the best they could in the 19th Congress and got it as far as the period of interpellations.

Despite Loren, then-Senate President Pro Tempore, throwing her weight in, it's not enough to overcome the challenge of Joel, then-Majority Floor Leader, who's so vehemently anti-divorce, pulling all the stops to ensure the bill languishes before the next Congress.

Now that she's the current Majority Floor Leader, the time's right to move that bill forward and get it passed once and for all. This time, Leni, who's also against divorce, is the one chairing the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, making it another monumental challenge.

As she's no longer the committee chair, her new strategy starts with another privilege speech.

"Mr. President, I move that we recognize our Majority Leader, the Lady from Panay and the Republic of the Philippines, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who wishes to speak on a matter of personal and public interest," Antonio, who temporarily filled in for Risa, said from the podium.

Kiko turned on his mic. "Senator Risa Honitveros is recognized."

Antonio sat back in his seat and gave the podium back to Risa. "Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to speak on a matter of personal and collective privilege."

A member of the Secretariat flashed her slide deck on the two large screens on either side of the session hall. The slide contained the text "Why Divorce is Pro-Family" in bold letters and two broken rings in the background.

Risa cleared her throat and mentioned some very important facts, like how the Philippines is the only country in the world outside of the Vatican that doesn't have a divorce in place and that a sizeable percentage of Filipino families are stuck in situations they couldn't get out of because of how costly annulment is.

It's a spiel she could already speak by heart at this point. Still, until divorce gets legalized, she will not stop until every Filipino can get a second chance at love and life after ending marriages that no longer serve them or, worse, are harmful to them.

While sharing stories from people whose parents have annulled or separated and how the process has taken a toll on their families, she noticed that Leni was, instead of listening to her speech or at least glancing at her from time to time, remained glued to her phone and laughing at something she's reading.

Risa took a deep breath to calm herself down before continuing. Okay lang, nagsisimula pa lang naman ako. Baka naman na-distract lang...

Except that even when Risa's about to wrap up, Leni was doing everything, including chatting with Pia and Antonio and doing some paperwork, instead of listening to her.

Alam kong anti-divorce ka, but why not at least listen to me the way I listened to your speeches? You could listen well if you wanted to. Ayaw mo lang.

Instead of dwelling too much on it, Risa focused on getting through the speech and saying her final words. "Divorce is pro-marriage, pro-family, and pro-children. It makes us respect marriage more by being more discerning with our choices in life. It protects children from abuse and rebuilds broken families. Thank you, Mr. President."

Once she wrapped up her speech, she sat back in her seat next to Leni and waited with bated breath for the interpellations that would surely line up. Instead of acknowledging her, Leni never looked up from her phone and tried stifling a laugh.

From the corner of her eye, Risa glimpsed at Leni's phone screen to find a Telegram group chat titled "Marites Triplets" with various messages shared between her, Nancy, and Grace on the screen. She couldn't exactly read the contents, but whatever's going on in that GC was clearly more worthy of Leni's time than Risa's speech.

If Risa's blood weren't already boiling earlier, it certainly would be now. Aba, pag-ma-Marites pa talaga inuna kaysa sa trabaho niya? Iba ka rin, Leni, no?

At one point during the speech, Pia took over the rostrum and sat down where Kiko used to be. Antonio then stood up and took to the podium once more while Risa made her way to the podium at the front left corner of the session hall. "Mr. President, may we recognize the Chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, the Gentle Lady from Naga, Senator Leni Robredo."

"The Former Vice President, Senator Leni Robredo, is recognized," Pia replied.

Leni took the Majority Leader's podium and faced Risa. "Thank you, Madam President. Will the Majority Floor Leader, and a steadfast champion of women's and children's rights yield to a couple of questions?"

Risa raised one eyebrow at her. Hmm, kung humarap sa floor parang hindi nagbabad sa GC buong speech, ah?

"Yes, Madam President, what's the pleasure of the Good Senator from Naga?" Risa replied, venom dripping from every word.

Leni remained calm and composed, as she usually was when she was in work mode, while she asked her first question. "Madam President, like the Lady Senator from Akbayan, I am one with you in supporting measures that protect our women and children from utmost harm. I would like to ask the Good Senator from Panay what divorce will bring to the table that couldn't be solved by amending the current grounds for annulment?"

Here we go again, just like last Congress...

The Lady from Panay gripped the sides of the podium and explained the differences between divorce and annulments as calmly and succinctly as possible, from how fast the process for both is, what's required to file each, and on what grounds.

Leni nodded and jotted notes on a piece of paper as if trying to digest everything Risa said. After a minute, Leni turned on her mic and proceeded with a follow-up question. "Thank you, Madam President. Just a follow-up on what you said about one of the grounds for divorce being one of the so-called 'irreconcilable differences' - how can one make sure na hindi basta-basta maghihiwalay ang mag-asawa kasi nag-away lang?"

Risa gamely responded to Leni's queries and explained the cool-off period and other safeguards that ensure couples try to work out their differences on their own first. All fine and dandy, right?

The more Risa answered the deeper Leni dug. It's as if Leni was looking for holes where there shouldn't be any. A certain type of tension filled the session hall, reminding Risa of another time when another pair took to the floor to use the privilege hour to thresh out personal grievances.

And from how the woman atop the rostrum, one of the two involved in that incident, watched the thing unfold, she looked as if she'd seen this film before and didn't like the ending.

Finally, Leni gave her an intense glance before concluding her time. "That would be all. Thank you, Madam President."

The session ran for at least four hours, at least two of which were Risa fielding questions and manifestations from different senators, from the legal ramifications to more societal implications. The rest of the time was spent on the sponsorship speech for the National Budget and other housekeeping measures.

After the reference of business, Kiko adjourned the session for today, and Risa climbed the stairs to her Senate office.

She passed over her legislative staff, sat on her desk, and thought of various ways to get back in Leni's good graces. Minutes of strategizing later, she had a lightbulb moment. Hirap siya sa pet bills niya kasi ang daming humaharang. Why not make things easier for her and clear that path?

Risa let out a sly smile and rubbed her hands while thinking about her plan. "It's time to put that power into something useful for once. Para sa bayan rin naman, diba?"