Philippine president, bishops discuss reproductive health bill

October 12, 2010

Philippine President Benigno Aquino met with bishops on October 11 to discuss his controversial plan to provide funding for condoms and other contraceptives.

“Both sides realized it would be better for them to communicate directly to each other,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

According to Lacierda, further discussions are planned, and the bishops said they had no plans to excommunicate Aquino.

The director of Human Life International in the Philippines has launched a Campaign for Life to oppose the president’s initiatives.

“President Aquino had already revealed himself as a supporter of the Reproductive Health Care Bill,” Rene Bullecer told the Fides news agency. “He is not a pro-life president. He has also clearly been influenced, in his last trip to the U.S., by many leading advocates and lobbyists for family planning and he has received 99 billion pesos in the Philippines to promote birth control programs and for the distribution of contraceptives.”

“We know that 85% of the Filipino population, which is Catholic, on matters of religion, culture, tradition, and education still listens to the voice of the Church,” Bullecer added. “We are confident that people will choose to support the truth and the culture of life.”

 

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Further information:

• Aquino meets with Catholic bishops (Business World)
• Aquino to Hold further Dialogue with Bishops on Reproductive Health (Manila Bulletin)
• Bishop Du urges Noy to uphold life (Negros Chronicle)
• “Campaign for Life,” to say “no” to birth control policies (Fides)