{"id":737,"date":"2012-08-07T06:08:00","date_gmt":"2012-08-07T06:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/bishops-protest-advance-of-philippines-reproductive-health-bill\/"},"modified":"2012-08-07T06:08:00","modified_gmt":"2012-08-07T06:08:00","slug":"bishops-protest-advance-of-philippines-reproductive-health-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/08\/bishops-protest-advance-of-philippines-reproductive-health-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishops protest advance of Philippines ‘reproductive health’ bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Manila, Philippines, Aug 7, 2012 \/ 12:08 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- A \u201creproductive health\u201d bill that would mandate sex education in schools and subsidize contraceptives will be \u201ctragic and catastrophic\u201d for Filipinos if it is passed into law, the Philippines\u2019 Catholic bishops\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\tThe bill advanced in the Philippine Congress on Aug. 6 after 14 years of consideration.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cMay God have mercy on our Congress,\u201d said Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo of Jaro, former two-term president of the Philippines\u2019 bishops conference.<\/p>\n

\tThe vote was originally scheduled for Tuesday but allies of President Benigno Aquino III held the vote Monday at a caucus of Liberal Party leaders and members.<\/p>\n

\tFr. Melvin Castro, head of the Catholic bishops\u2019 Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, criticized the way the bill advanced.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThey break their own rules. They really forced it today,\u201d Fr. Castro said. \u201cIt\u2019s railroading. They\u2019re destroying the very essence of democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tFr. Castro said the president is \u201chard-hearted\u201d for refusing to consider the concerns of bill opponents.<\/p>\n

\tPresident Aquino has said the bill is needed to reduce high birthrates among the poor. It mandates \u201cage-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education\u201d from fifth grade through high school.<\/p>\n

\tSome bishops said Western backers have helped propel it forward.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Ramon V. Arguelles of Lipa charged that foreign powers favor \u201cthe extermination of the poor and those who believe in God.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHe said the bill is a manifestation of \u201cimperialism\u201d and its local backers are \u201ctraitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBishop Arturo M. Bastes said the bill would slow development because the country needs people to \u201cgrow and progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHe charged that the bill aims to decrease the population by preventing them from being born, which he said brings forth \u201ca culture of death and darkness of sin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBackers of the bill are playing political hardball. A lawmaker from the impoverished Samar Island said funding for several relief projects\u00a0 for his district has been threatened if he does not vote for the bill.<\/p>\n

\tThe bill has drawn major Catholic opposition. On Aug. 4 the Prayer Power Rally against the bill gathered an estimated 60,000 people in Manila.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Lagdameo hopes that the Philippines\u2019 House of Representatives will give more time to discuss the bill \u201cso that they can see also its defects for the sake of the common good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cBoth sides must have an open mind for that good,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\tThe focus will now shift to amendments to the bill.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Manila, Philippines, Aug 7, 2012 \/ 12:08 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- A “reproductive health” bill that would mandate sex education in schools and subsidize contraceptives will be “tragic and catastrophic” for Filipinos if it is passed …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asia-pacific"],"yoast_head":"\nBishops protest advance of Philippines 'reproductive health' bill<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Manila, Philippines, Aug 7, 2012 \/ 12:08 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- A “reproductive health” bill that would mandate sex education in schools and subsidize contraceptives will be “tragic and catastrophic” for Filipinos if it is passed ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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