Cabral promotes HIV Summit as she gets sermon on condoms

A Catholic bishop urged Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral to reflect during the Holy Week on her agency's program of distributing free condoms. But in turn, Cabral is inviting Church groups to a summit on April 12 that will discuss the same issue. "DOH Secretary Esperanza Cabral, dapat magnilay ngayong panahon ng Kwaresma ... Ang pamamahagi ng condom sa mga tao ay malinaw na pagsira sa diwa at spirit ng Kwaresma dahil pino-promote nito ang imoralidad sa lipunan," Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas. (DOH Secretary Esperanza Cabral, reflect during Lent. Distributing condoms clearly destroys the spirit of Lent because it promotes immorality.) Bastes said that during Lent, Christians are asked to renew their lives “by more intense prayer, acts of penance by mortifications, giving alms through charitable acts and meditate on the laws of God." Meanwhile, he said, “Cabral here is promoting immorality and physical sickness instead of health in soul and body." Excerpts of the interview were posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. DOH invites Church groups Despite the continuing barrage of criticism from bishops, the DOH has invited Church groups to attend the 2010 HIV Summit on April 12, a week after Holy Week. Several faith-based groups have already expressed their intent to participate, according to an article posted on the DOH website. “The government cannot do this task alone of reducing and preventing infections. I am glad that faith-based organizations now have opened their doors to this calling of caring and providing support to those infected and affected," Cabral said. Catholic bishops had ganged up on Cabral since February 14 when DOH workers distributed free condoms to those who bought flowers in the Dangwa market. According to Cabral, the condom distribution was part of the department's program to curb the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. After Cabral accepted a challenge by bishops to debate the issue of condoms, Church-backed groups continued to hold anti-condom protest activities. Increase in HIV infections Cabral said the 2010 HIV Summit aims to inform national leaders of the current state of HIV/AIDS in the country and the need for urgent action towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal 6, particularly on HIV. She noted the number of infected individuals increased from one infection every three days in 2000, to one per day in 2007, and two infections per day in 2009. Because of this, she said the country cannot afford to lose a day in stopping the spread of the dreaded disease. Presently, Global Fund pays for the cost of medicines of people living with HIV/AIDS and these medicines are free only until 2012.—JV, GMANews.TV