Lim won’t invest in contraceptives but will educate families on birth control

MANILA, Philippines — The city of Manila will not spend a single centavo on the distribution of contraceptives to poor families, Mayor Alfredo Lim said over the weekend in reaction to the simmering public debate on the reproductive health bill.

Instead, any available budget would be allocated to educating city residents on reproductive health, he said.

“We should not interfere in the religion of every person. What the Catholic Church teaches, we should not impose on the Protestants, in the same way we should not force Iglesia ni Kristo members to follow the Protestants,” the mayor said.

Lim said the city government would not meddle in people’s religious beliefs and would respect their choices based on their own faith. He noted that freedom of the practice of religion was guaranteed by the Constitution.

But ultimately, he said the people would decide what would be good for their families.

“It’s a case of ‘to each his own.’ There should not be any imposition. If you think only two children would be good for your family, it’s up to you. If you believe having 10 children is okay, it’s up to you,” he said. –DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer