Philippine bishops end dialogue with government over ‘reproductive health’ bill
May 11, 2011
The bishops of the Philippines, citing President Benigno Aquino’s continued support of population control, have ended their dialogue with his administration over the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011, which is pending in the nation’s congress.
The “bishops do not see any reason to further undertake a serious study [or] dialogue,” said Msgr. Juanito Figura, general secretary of the bishops’ conference. Msgr. Figure denounced the measure, which promotes comprehensive sex education, sterilization, and artificial contraception, as “secularist, materialistic, individualistic, and hedonistic.”
The bishops had engaged in talks with the government earlier this year, in an unsuccessful effort to remove offensive provisions of the legislation. Those earlier talks, too, eventually broke down. But when a legislative session ended in March without approving the bill, President Aquino invited the bishops to resume the negotiations, and they accepted.
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Further information:
- Bishops withdraw from RH talks with Palace (Manila Sun Star)
- Choosing Life, Rejecting the RH Bill (CBCP)
- Philippines: bishops, president resume talks on family-planning bill (CWN, 3/30)
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