EU gives DOH P60-M for reproductive health services

The European Union (EU) on Thursday provided the Department of Health (DOH) with P60 million as support for the government's programs on reproductive health—including the distribution of contraceptives among poor barangays—amid the continuing Church objection to such programs. GMA News' Lei Alviz reported over "24 Oras" that the fund is aimed at helping poor barangays (administrative villages) by providing them reproductive health services, including contraceptives. The new funding was provided amid the Catholic Church’s objections to the DOH program of distributing condoms to prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases such as HIV-AIDS. "Poor communities do have a problem in having access to reproductive health services because the state has not so far, I believe, taken up its full responsibilities," said EU Ambassador to the Philippines Alistair Macdonald.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Meanwhile, Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral reiterated that the Church should also take the blame if the government failed to address such problems. (See: DOH chief scores Church for blocking AIDS prevention effort) "If there are things that we should have been doing that we did not do because it's being blocked by these organizations or people then the blame is not on us," Cabral said. When asked if the Church was among those, Cabral said: "Ah, obvious ba yun? (Isn't that obvious?)." She maintained that the distribution of condoms was a way to address the rising number of AIDS cases in the country. Already about 4,400 Filipinos tested positive for the dreaded virus as of January 2009, according to data from the Philippine National AIDS Council. (See: High number of AIDS cases in RP just ‘tip of the iceberg’ – DOH) Cabral also reiterated that she would not heed the call of two Catholic bishops to relinquish her post. (See: Health chief will not resign over condoms issue) “It is only the President who can say what I should do or not do in this position because I serve at the pleasure of the President," she said, adding that a few bishops or a few priests are not the entire Catholic Church. “The Catholic Church is the people," she said. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines media director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, for his part, clarified that it’s not the entire Catholic Church that is seeking Cabral's resignation. Nonetheless, he stressed that the Church is one in contesting the distribution of condoms.—JV, GMANews.TV