RSSMANILA (UCAN) — Presidential hopeful Gilbert Teodoro, Jr’s U-turn on the Reproductive Health bill has thrown his motives into question and put the Church’s role in the election campaign debate under the spotlight.
“It is a good development if he has had a genuine change of heart,” said Bishop Deogracias Iniguez of Kalookan, the chairman of the bishops’ public affairs committee. “I hope it’s not all just to win the favor of the Church.”
Teodoro told a university forum in Manila this week he was withdrawing his support for the controversial Reproductive Health and Population Development bill.
He now says birth control methods and reproductive health positions of people should be a “moral choice” for individuals unrestricted by laws such as the bill which is opposed by the Church.
The bishops’ position took a political flavor when they issued a catechism on elections saying Catholics should not vote for politicians supporting the bill.
Supporters of the bill say it is needed to address overpopulation and to reduce the number of abortions in the country.
It proposes services to couples, and education for adults and children in the area of reproductive health.
If made law, it would provide government funding for programs, sex education in all schools from fifth grade and penalties for government workers who refuse to implement the programs.
Some in the Church believe women are generally already looking responsibly at these issues.
Women have ‘made up their minds’
Politicians and the Church should follow their lead and encourage discussions about the points raised in the bill, Benedictine Sister Mary John Manazan, chairperson for women in the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, told UCA News.
She believes politicians’ opinions weigh little on the choices couples make.
Women generally “have made up their minds on their reproductive health issues based on what they determine is right for themselves and their family,” Sister Manazan told UCA News.
She cited survey reports on women’s contraceptive use and said women she knows have given the issue “careful thought.”
About half of Filipino women use some form of contraception, with some 17 percent using the Pill, the government census says. Just over half of all women use no contraception at all.
Jesuit Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro shares Sister Mananzan’s belief in the need for dialogue.
He said the Church is obliged to stress Catholic teaching but also needs to discuss the bill in a non-partisan manner.
“We should look at what is true and good and what is wrong in the bill,” the bishop told UCA News.
He believes the government should offer more support for natural family planning methods.
It should not impose sanctions for health workers and institutions refusing to implement programs inconsistent with their beliefs.
He also opposes mandatory sex education in all schools.
Teodoro is also now proposing conditional cash support from government to poor couples using natural birth control methods.
PR08670.1586 January 29, 2010 55 EM-lines (465 words)
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