THE CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged Catholics not to vote for candidates in favor of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, saying it would “not be morally permissible” to vote for “anti-life” leaders.
In guidelines on the May 10 elections released last December 27, CBCP Office of the Mass Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III said those who vote pro-RH bill candidates could be considered “accomplices to moral evil.”
The guidelines titled “A Catechism on Family and Life for the 2010 Elections” was drafted to “help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth about family, life and responsible parenthood.”
It said Catholics should not vote for candidates who support “anti-family” policies, including reproductive health legislation or any other “moral evil” such as abortion, divorce, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.
House Bill No. 5043 or the RH bill proposed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman wants hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUD), injectables and other products declared “essential medicines” and available over the counter.
The RH bill is now considered “dead” after Congress went on break to give way to the start of the election campaign period last February 5.
The proper formation of conscience is essential for Catholic voters to shield the society from “the invasion of anti-life and anti-family values,” the CBCP said.
Political science professor Edmund Tayao said it was natural for the Church to issue a statement against the RH bill ahead of the election season.
“The pet issue of the Church is definitely the RH bill. Not because the Church does not understand the importance of reproductive health in this country, but because of the pressing provisions in the proposed bill,” Tayao said.
Alvin Ang, director of the Research Cluster for Cultural, Educational and Social Issues, presented seven guidelines from the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture on choosing the right candidates for the May 10 polls.
The seven guidelines speak of a candidate that “should not be dependent on popularity;” “should ensure national identity and integrity;” is “not power-hungry;” “values the nation’s internal resources;” is “free from compromising alliances;” “does not build up personal wealth while in power;” “and fears God and respects the fundamental law of the land.”
Ang, an economist, cited the Human Development Report 2009, which uses gross domestic product, literacy rate, and life expectancy rate indicators of a country’s well-being.
“A developed country must not only be progressive. It must also be a country that continues to invest in learning and where people live longer,” Ang said.
Based on the report, the Philippines has “medium human development” at 105th position behind Samoa (95th) and Iran (88th). Ang said this was the result of wrong investments by the government.
“Nag-iinvest naman. But the problem is it (the government) does not invest properly,” Ang said. “For example in education, the government invests so much in infrastructure, but [little] investment is given to teachers.”
Tayao said the lack or absence of good governance, not overpopulation, is the reason why the country is underdeveloped.
Tayao said people would always be a “necessary resource.”
It is a question of how to make people productive, not to lessen the number of people,” he added.
The CBCP said the United Nations’ (UN) definition of reproductive health follows a “convoluted reasoning that reproductive health presupposes access to contraception and abortion.”
The UN defines reproductive health as “state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.” It states that people are entitled to a “satisfying and safe sex life.”
“Responsible parenthood has nothing to do with encouraging individuals to use contraceptives as what reproductive health programs do,” the CBCP guidelines read. “The sexual union is appropriate only within the context of marital love, which must always be faithful, permanent, and exclusive between one man and one woman that is open to the gift of new life.”
The Constitution prohibits the Church and the State from interfering in each other’s internal matters. But according to the CBCP guidelines, the prohibition “does not imply a division between belief and public actions, between moral principles and political choices.”
Presidential aspirants Sen. Benigno Aquino III, and administration standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro have since withdrawn their support from the RH bill.
