Pope's birth control policy demographic timebomb for RP

Pope's birth control policy demographic timebomb for RP

Karl Wilson, Agence France-Presse/Manila

The uncompromising birth control policies promoted by Pope John
Paul II were embraced wholeheartedly by the church in the
predominantly Catholic Philippines, which has one of the highest
birth rates in Asia and tens of millions living in poverty.

Condom use is almost nonexistent and poor birth control has
left the country sitting on a demographic timebomb which has
pitted advocates of birth control against the highly influential
church over its spiraling population.

With a birth rate of 2.4 percent annually the Philippines
could see its population double from the current 84 million
within the next 30 years, according to the government's
Commission on Population.

Struggling to meet its massive debt repayments and with just
over 50 percent of the population living on less than US$2 a day
the Philippines is already stretched to educate, feed and provide
health services for the population it now has.

While population control did not figure in last year's
presidential election campaign nor was it included in President
Gloria Arroyo's 10-point reform program, the controversial issue
is now before the nation's Congress.

A private bill, the Responsible Parenthood and Population Act,
proposes to restrict families to two children, introduce sex
education and enable the distribution of contraceptives.

The legislation has so incensed the Church that it has
threatened not to give Holy Communion to any government worker
promoting the bill.

Monsignor Jesus Dosado of the Ozamiz diocese on the southern
island of Mindanao was quoted recently saying that any government
worker who promotes what he called "the bill's antilife policies"
are "not worthy to receive the body of Christ (Holy Communion)
and will be refused".

"Those who privately support population control measures will
not be denied Communion, but should in good conscience not
present themselves."

Observers say there is no way such a bill will become law
while the church wields its extensive influence over politicians
and policy in the Philippines. Nor would president Gloria Arroyo,
a devout catholic, dare take on the might of the church.

Rosy Alegria, spokeswoman for the Commission on Population,
said: "Most catholic countries today leave the issue of birth
control to the elected government. But here in the Philippines
the church still has a very strong voice on the subject.

"That voice reflects the late pope's conservative view on the
issue. How the church's stand on birth control changes with a new
pope remains to be seen."

Commission executive director Tomas Osias said recently the
country urgently needed a population policy to stop the worsening
maternal and child deaths brought about by unplanned pregnancies
in the country.

The United Nations Population Fund has estimated that more
than 400,000 women put their lives at risk each year by having
abortions, which are still illegal in the Philippines.

Osias said the Commission was supporting the bill, which has
already passed the House Committee on Health although has not
been officially endorsed by the government, because it encourages
couples to plan their family size.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said that while the bill's
major concern is the two million Filipino couples in urban and
rural slums, teenagers would also be targeted.

Dayrit said that in educating teenagers, this would expose
them to the use of artificial contraceptives like condoms and
pills.

"We will orient teenagers about the responsibility of not
having children at an early age but we will not tell them that
they are free to use condoms and contraceptives," said Dayrit.

A survey conducted by the polling group Social Weather Station
last year found about 20 percent of Filipino women aged between
18 to 24 admitted taking contraceptive pills, while two percent
used condoms.

The survey also showed 70 percent of Filipinos were not using
any family planning methods.

Monsignor Hernando Coronel, secretary-general and spokesman of
the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said in an
interview that the church would not support any form of
artificial contraception.
Monsignor Oscar Cruz, archbishop of Ligayen-Dagupan in the
northern province of Pangasinan and an outspoken critic of
artificial birth control, said: "Contraceptives are a first step
towards killing the unborn and are instruments that favor
abortion."

The secretary of Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu said the
Church perceived the current bill as being "antilife" and against
the Fifth Commandment (thou shall not kill) even if it truly
seeks to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines encourages families to
have as many children as they can raise and educate well and
approves only natural family-planning methods.

Whether that view would soften if the successor to John Paul
II as pope softens the conservative stance on birth control
remains to be seen.

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AFP

GetAFP 2.10 -- APR 4, 2005 12:21:32