Bishops vow to support pro-life groups opposed to Reproductive Health Bill

MANILA, Philippines - Catholic bishops have vowed to continue to support pro-life groups in opposing the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.

Balanga, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas cited the important role of the youth sector in the fight against “anti-life bills.”

“There is a need to tap the potentials of the youth to promote the culture of life. A youth arm should be formed to formally harness this sector’s talents and skills,” Villegas said in a statement posted at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) website.

San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David also took note of the importance of creating “help centers” in the parishes.

“Our parishioners in San Fernando are benefiting much from such centers that is why I highly recommend encouraging parishes to form counseling centers especially for pregnant clients,” he said.

Antipolo Bishop Gabriel Reyes, for his part, reiterated the need for the church and groups such as PRO-LIFE Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PRO-LIFE) to interact more with government leaders.

Reyes cited what the clergy did in his diocese where an ordinance identical to the RH bill was halted from being passed.

“The Church still holds a huge influence on legislators. All they need is a little ‘push’ and by push I mean educating them and enlightening them on the proper steps to take,” Reyes said.

Incoming CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar noted the importance of focus in the advocacy, quality and quantity-wise.

“There is a need for us to emphasize the significance of focusing not only on the problem of numbers or quantity of life, but most importantly the quality of life,” he said.

Villegas also said the advocacy to promote life most often appears reactionary.

“We always point out to people what is wrong but we fail to fully elucidate them on what is right.”

Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, for his part, urged pro-life groups to come up with their own version of the RH bill.

“Organizations such as yours always tell of the negativity of the RH bill. Why not come up with your own version of the RH bill and show it to people. Then they would know the difference,” Quevedo said.

House Bill 5043, otherwise known as “The Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood, and Population Development Act of 2008,” if passed into a bill, will make artificial contraceptives more accessible to the public through health programs as well as teach sex education in schools, among others.

The Catholic Church and other pro-life groups oppose the bill they believe would promote the use of contraceptives and increase abortion, which is illegal in the country.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the main authors of the bill, had said there are now 130 congressmen who are supporting the measure.

The country’s population now stands at around 90 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.04 percent, one of the highest in Asia and above the government’s target of 1.9 percent.