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Palace irked at condom giveaway program


A surprised Malacañang frowned Saturday on a program by the Department of Health (DOH) to distribute free condoms to fight the risk of HIV/AIDS. Deputy presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the DOH's "Ingat Lagi, My Valentine" program may be going against the government’s policy of not giving away condoms for contraception. “Ngayon ko lang nabalitaan yan. Walang programa ang gobyerno na mamahagi ng condom for contraception. Wala tayong programa (It is only now that I heard of such a program. The government has no program to give away condoms for contraception)," Saludo said on government-run dzRB radio. He said the DOH should “review" its program lest the agency give the wrong impression that the government is allowing artificial contraception and sexual licentiousness. “Di tayo namamahagi ng condom for contraception. Kung may ibang gamit ang tao, di natin bibigyan pansin. Ang ating patakaran no condom for contraception, simpleng simple (We do not give away condoms for contraception. If they can think of other uses, we cannot consider them. Our policy is no distribution of condoms for contraception)," he said. Saludo said the government deals with HIV-AIDS by monitoring those at high risk of getting HIV-AIDS, and testing them to see if they are positive. He added the government wants to promote responsible parenthood in preventing HIV-AIDS. In line with the policy of the Arroyo government, the DOH is tasked to promote natural methods of birth control. - TJD, GMANews.TV

Tags: condoms, program, doh, hiv, aids
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