Church to push defiance of reproductive health bill if passed into law

MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Church threatened Friday to urge its faithful to defy the disputed Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill if it is passed into law. Fr. Joel Jason, director of Manila Archdiocese Ministry for Family and Life, said this would be the Church's response to claims by bill author Rep. Edcel Lagman that Church resistance is futile. "Catholic Church's advocacy against Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill might not have much effect, if some law makers claim so. But, the Church will educate people not to follow anti-life laws on moral grounds," Jason said in a statement posted Friday evening on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Web site (www.cbcpnews.com). If it is needed, the Catholic Church can hold "national protests" against the Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill, he added. For its part, the CBCP and Manila Archdiocese will launch on Sept. 8 an "educational" DVD screening program entitled "The Subtle Attacks on Family." The CBCP said the DVD would be shown in parishes, schools, mission stations, church organizations and like-minded people who are pro-life, all over the country. As of now, orders for the video have already reached 3,000 copies, he claimed. "This video screening program is aimed to educate at grass-root levels, among Catholics, students, teachers, catechists and others regarding the dangers and immorality of measures proposed by Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill," said Jason. It would also be a great help for people to distinguish what is morally good and acceptable and avoid evil laws and legislations such as Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill, he added. Aside from these, Jason said the Church has been intensifying its signature campaign against Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill. Jason cited reports quoting Lagman as saying at least 86 lawmakers now support his bill. Lagman needs 116 votes for the bill to get past the House of Representatives. He said the Church would continue to oppose against proposed Reproductive Health Bill that calls for universal access to artificial contraceptives. The Catholic Church is against all kinds of artificial contraceptives — birth control pills, condoms, surgical interventions like vasectomy and tubal ligation — which it terms as anti-life and immoral. It promotes only natural family planning methods. Jason said that if the Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill would be passed, it will be an immoral law, and thus, people are not obliged to follow an immoral law. - GMANews.TV