Bishops call for mass action against RH bill

MANILA, Philippines—Saying that the dialogue with Malacañang on the reproductive health (RH) bill only revealed the huge disconnect between the two parties on the issue, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Monday exhorted the faithful to consider mass action amid efforts in Congress to fast-track a family planning measure.

In a strongly worded pastoral letter, the bishops reiterated their call for the rejection of the reproductive health bill, saying: “We echo the challenge we prophetically uttered 25 years ago at Edsa I and call upon all people of good will who share our conviction: Let us pray together, reason together, decide together, act together, always to the end that the truth prevail” over the many threats to human life and to our shared human and cultural values.”

The Church made its pitch as lawmakers Monday endorsed a consolidated version of the bill for floor debates.

The proposed Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development Act of 2011 co-authored by 85 lawmakers was overwhelmingly endorsed for floor debates by members of the House committee on population in its public hearing Monday.

At a press conference, Bishop Nereo Ochimar, head of the CBCP, read parts of the pastoral letter which thanked the government for giving the bishops an opportunity to express their views in a friendly dialogue. “Sadly, our dialogue has simply revealed how far apart our respective positions are,” it said.

Odchimar said the pastoral letter was issued to avoid “fostering false hopes” among the public, which the dialogue with Malacañang may create. It reiterated the objections of the Church to artificial birth control methods, which the RH bill endorses.

When asked if the Church was seriously considering pulling out of the dialogue, he replied, “At this point in time, we have not yet agreed to pull out… we have still to make any formal disengagement from this dialogue.”

“Again, it is a possibility,” added Odchimar.

The four-page pastoral letter titled “Choosing Life, Rejecting the RH Bill,” reiterated the Church’s rejection of artificial contraception and sex education in schools.

“Today, we come to a new political crossroads and we now have to make a similar moral choice,” said Odchimar, referring to Edsa I when the Church decided to participate in a civilian-military revolt against the Marcos dictatorship that brought Corazon Aquino to office.

The late Aquino is the mother of President Benigno Aquino III, who supports the RH bill.

“The rejection of the RH bill doesn’t depend only on the President, neither on the legislators… it is the duty of every person who values human life to reject it,” said Archbishop Socrates Villegas during the news conference.

At the House of Representatives, Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas said that opponents of the bill could air their objections during the debates.

Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, the lead proponent of the RH bill in the House, said that the bill was not pro-abortion but a pro-active strategy for Filipinos to achieve their desired family size.

To appease the bishops, the consolidated bill specifically states that abortion is illegal but it also mandates the government to provide post-abortion support to women “in a human, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.”

The bill endorses the use of modern family planning methods that it defines as “safe, effective and legal methods, whether natural or artificial, that are registered with the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health.” –Jocelyn R. Uy, Gil C. Cabacungan Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer