Church slams US ‘meddling’ in Aquino birth control stance
MANILA, Sept. 28, 2010—The Catholic Church has accused the United States of meddling in the Philippines after President Benigno Aquino III revealed his plan to promote contraception.
An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) branded the US government as a “dictator” for their own political gains and interests.
“I’m certain that the US government had a hand over Aquino’s abrupt decision to support population control,” said Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the bishops’ Commission on Family and Life.
The church official said it’s no secret that the US and other foreign nations have tried to pressure the Philippine government for a more aggressive birth control program.
One example, he said, is the granting of huge foreign funding for the government’s development projects, but it all comes with a price.
On Monday, Aquino, in town-hall-style meeting in the US, said his government would provide contraceptives such condoms and pills to poor couples, to curb the Philippines’ high birth rate.
“This is clearly a form of colonization of morality. They are imposing their morals on us, disrespecting our own principles and morality,” Castro said.
He said if the Obama administration is sincere in helping the Filipinos, it should give aid with “no strings attached” and pre-conditions.
“The assistance should be selfless and have no strings attached,” the CBCP official said.
President Aquino arrived in Manila early Tuesday after his week-long working visit to the US where he met with President Barack Obama and attended the UN General Assembly.
The bishops have previously condemned the US-AID, the United Nations Population Fund and other international aid agencies for allegedly meddling in Philippine government’s affairs.
The funding, Castro said, goes to the maternal health and population management program, a multi-lateral program in several decades after the government suspended it due to strong Church’s pressure.
Foreign funding institutions claimed they are concerned with the fast growth rate of the Philippine population.
With this scenario, they believe that it will be difficult for the government to address poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth unless an effective population management measure is implemented.
Castro said these agencies are also key players in pressuring the lawmakers to pass the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill while linking increased aid to its passage.
With Aquino’s support for artificial contraception, the CBCP official admitted being “afraid” over possible passage of RH bill.
“On our side, that’s how we look at the situation now,” he said.
Castro noted that Aquino was a strong advocate of the measure but kept relatively quiet on the matter during the campaign period.
RH bill, which has long been pending in Congress, proposes, among others, mandatory sex education in primary and secondary public schools and the purchase of contraceptives by state hospitals as part of its essential medicines and supplies. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)
