GIRLIE LINAO
A decades-old debate on population control has turned nasty in the Philippines, with Catholic bishops ordering priests to deny communion to politicians supporting wider access to contraceptives and other artificial family planning methods. The church, which wields major influence in the predominantly Catholic country, alleged that proposed laws on reproductive health and family planning were ''anti-life'' and actually promoted abortion, which is illegal in the Philippines.
A senior bishop said priests should not give communion to supporters of such immoral moves because they were unworthy.
In Manila's suburban city of Quezon, a councilman was forced to move the location of his wedding after a priest in his parish threatened to deny him communion, for proposing an ordinance promoting contraceptives and sex education for young people.
Councillor Joseph Juico said he has also been avoiding communion during Sunday Mass after the threat.
''I felt bad about it,'' he said. ''It made me question my faith.''
Despite the conflict, Mr Juico is not backing down and the population management ordinance in Quezon City will be implemented next month.
''It is imperative that the city government provide a comprehensive population and reproductive health management policy in order to address the pressing problem of population explosion and its attendant socio-economic burdens on families,'' Councillor Juico said.
Dozens of lawmakers also found themselves on the warpath with the Catholic Church for pushing a national reproductive healthcare act that provides access to ''a full range of safe, legal and effective family planning methods, techniques and devices''.
The proposed law would also provide incentives to couples who have two children, encouraging them to practice family planning.
While the bill does not legalise abortion, it stipulates that ''government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counselled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner''.
Critics alleged that several provisions of the proposed law not only promoted abortion and promiscuity, but threatened to eliminate the Filipino race.
''If passed into law, it will put our country into a serious moral and economic bind,'' said Mike Velarde, leader of the biggest Christian charismatic group in the Philippines, El Shaddai.
''According to the Holy Scripture, it will put our country into a cursed generation,'' he added.
But supporters said it was about time the Philippine government implemented a comprehensive family planning policy to rein in the country's population growth rate of more than 2%, one of the largest in Southeast Asia.
The country's population was estimated at 88.57 million in 2007. It is projected to balloon to 94 million by 2010, according to the Philippines National Statistics Office.
According to estimates by non-government organisations, nearly half a million abortions _ one-third of about 1.4 million unplanned pregnancies _ occur in the Philippines every year.
A government survey also showed that two out of five women who want to use contraceptives do not have access to them, especially in the provinces where women are forced to resort to abortion due to lack of family planning information and maternal healthcare.
Congresswoman Janette Garin, a physician by profession and one of the proponents of the reproductive healthcare act, rejected criticism by the church and pro-life groups.
''Family planning is not in the same context with abortion,'' she said. ''Family planning is in the context of responsible parenthood. We have hundreds and thousands of families living below poverty level denied of education and information on family planning services.
''It is about the promotion of safe motherhood and deeper male involvement in his partner's reproductive health,'' she added.
''This might mean losing my position [as congresswoman] in 2010,'' she said, referring to the next national elections in the Philippines.
''I must admit, I'm very much afraid about the political repercussions of this decision, but this is the price I have to pay for doing my job,'' Ms Garin said.
Today, the Catholic Church and El Shaddai will join forces for a prayer rally to express their objections to the proposed reproductive healthcare act in Congress.
Catholic bishops also approached legislators supporting the law to try to convince them to change their minds.
At least one lawmaker has already withdrawn his support, and the church hopes more will follow. dp
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