Govt to distribute condoms, pills despite Church protest

THE government is open to distributing not only condoms but also birth control pills to poor couples as part of its campaign to promote family planning, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said Wednesday.

“Let’s say they choose the pill and they’re poor, then it will be made available to them,” Ona said.

President Benigno Aquino III had earlier said his administration would provide assistance to “those who are without means if they want to employ a particular method” of birth control.

Ona said the government would promote natural birth control methods as well, and that family planning went beyond preventing pregnancies.

“We are looking at it in the context of being a parent. When we say family planning, it’s in the context of responsible parenthood,” Ona said.

He said the government’s aim was to make sure Filipinos knew their options and made their own choices. He said he had always supported the reproductive health bill proposed by Rep. Edcel Lagman, which calls for responsible parenthood through informed choice.

Analysts said Ona’s latest statements were likely to draw fire from Catholic Church officials and their allies, who held an emergency meeting Wednesday over Mr. Aquino’s plan to distribute contraceptives to the poor. The Church opposes all forms of birth control outside of abstinence and the natural rhythm method.

The Church’s allies said Mr. Aquino’s statement on birth control was “a go-signal” for the passage of the reproductive health bill pending in Congress. The bill seeks to establish a national policy on population management, but it was stifled by Catholic opposition during the 14th Congress, where it was stopped on second reading.

Eric Manalang, leader of an anti-birth control group, said they would protest if Mr. Aquino pushed through with his plan to distribute contraceptives to the poor.

“We will definitely organize and come out strongly and will be more active in protests,” Manalang said on the Church-run Radyo Veritas.

“We are not going to allow it even if we have to lie in the streets.”

Earlier, the Church accused the United States of meddling in the Philippines after Mr. Aquino spoke in support of birth control.

“I’m certain the US government had a hand [in] Aquino’s abrupt decision to support population control,” said priest Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the bishops’ Commission on Family and Life.

He said it was no secret that the US and other foreign nations had tried to pressure the Philippine government to carry out a more aggressive birth-control program. The huge funding for development projects came with a price.

“This is clearly a form of colonization of morality,” Castro said.

“They are imposing their morals on us, disrespecting our own principles and morality.” Castro said.

The Palace on Wednesday urged Catholic bishops and their supporters to observe sobriety in their opposition to the reproductive health bill.

“Let’s all calm down and let’s wait for the dialogue before anything of this sort comes into play,” deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte told reporters in Malacañang. –Macon Ramos-Araneta, Manila Standard Today