Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) – Demonstrations in all the major cities of the Philippines, public lectures, conferences, liturgies, especially prayer vigils: these are some of the initiatives of the wide-reaching "Campaign for Life" launched in October by the movement "Human Life International” in the Philippines. "The pro-life groups – Fides was told by Rene Bullecer, Director of the Movement – plan to respond with an awareness campaign regarding the Filipino government's proclamation of its support and promotion of programs for family planning and reproductive health."
Bullecer told Fides: "We will make our voice heard, to work against the policy of the new Filipino government. Especially to avoid the application of the Reproductive Health Care Bill, which is a document against life, against health, against the family, and against Christ." The Catholic faithful, he says, "are open to sex education and responsible parenthood, based on the Church's moral teaching and centered on chastity."
"We will continue the battle for a different cultural and educational approach, which has already made significant achievements in the Philippines," he said. "Just think, for example, that the spread of AIDS in the Philippines in the last 25 years, is severely limited compared to other Southeast Asian countries, because, thanks to an awareness of public opinion, it is understood that the 'massive and indiscriminate use of condoms is not a panacea and does not, in fact, limit the spread of the disease. Much more is guaranteed through a campaign based on prevention, on a sexual education that teaches young people the value and beauty of corporeality. It is an approach based on chastity and on the reciprocal gift of a couple made stable by marriage, according to the wise teachings of the Church."
As for the policies of the Aquino government, which have recently become a source of controversy even among leaders in the Catholic Church, Bullecer says: "President Aquino had already revealed himself as a supporter of the Reproductive Health Care Bill. He is not a pro-life president. He has also clearly been influenced, in his last trip to the U.S., by many leading advocates and lobbyists for family planning and he has received 99 billion pesos in the Philippines to promote birth control programs and for the distribution of contraceptives."
However, there is still hope: "We know that 85% of the Filipino population, which is Catholic, on matters of religion, culture, tradition, and education still listens to the voice of the Church. We are confident that people will choose to support the truth and the culture of life." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/08/2010)
