Pro-life groups in Cebu burn condoms to protest DOH program

Pro-life groups had staged a condom-burning activity in front of the Department of Health (DOH) office in Cebu province to reiterate their opposition to the use of contraceptives supposedly against Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Radio dzBB reported on Thursday that the condom-burning protest action was stagedlast Tuesday, even as Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral maintained the government will continue to provide condoms to those at risk. The pro-life demonstrators also called for a total ban on condom advertising to protect children from early exposure to sex. “Remember, condoms on the first place are never proven to prevent HIV," said AIDS-Free Philippines national director Dr. Josef Bullecer, in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. Bullecer added they would continue resisting condom use because it promotes underage sex and immorality. He added that in countries whose governments openly promote condoms, one can see skyrocketing cases of HIV/AIDS instead. He said most of Tuesday’s he protesters represent themselves as concerned parents and taxpayers who are against the DOH’s “anti-Catholic, and immoral propaganda." “Condom is a multi-million dollar industry. This is a battle now between the concerned citizens and taxpayers versus DOH," he said. But Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral maintained the government will continue to distribute condoms to groups at risk. “Yan dinidistribute natin through social hygiene clinics, na pinapatakbo ng NGO. Ito binibigay sa taong most at risk (We distribute them through social hygiene clinics run by non-government organizations. We give them to those most at risk)," Cabral said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Earlier, Cabral claimed that DOH’s AIDS-prevention efforts have failed because the Catholic Church is blocking the third component of the program, which is to encourage the use of condoms. [See: DOH chief scores Church for blocking AIDS prevention effort] The DOH had launched a program known by the acronym ABC – where A is for “abstinence from sex," B for “be faithful to your partner" and C for “condom use" to combat HIV/AIDS. — LBG, GMANews.TV