Pro-RH group gives away condoms on Valentine's Day

Despite the Catholic Church's opposition to the distribution of condoms, Reproductive Health (RH) advocates from Akbayan Party gave away free condoms at a public market on Valentine's Day.

Continuing the initiative of the Department of Health (DOH) last year under then Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao and spokesperson Risa Hontiveros distributed free condoms to vendors and marketgoers at Mega-Q Mart (formerly Nepa-Q Mart) along EDSA-Cubao in Quezon City. The DOH earlier said it will not give away condoms this year. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) earlier urged the Health Department not to distribute condoms, saying this would send the wrong message to the youth that it is alright to engage in pre-marital sex as long as condoms are used. Hontiveros said they respect the opinions of the bishops but disputed their claims that distributing condoms will increase the number of AIDS cases in the country. "Hindi naman po totoo na kapag kumalat ang paggamit ng condom at ibang pamamaraan ng family planning ay lalung kakalat ang HIV at AIDS," she said. (It is not true that prevalence of condom use and other methods of family planning will aid the spread of HIV and AIDS.) Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao expressed disappointment with the decision of the Health Department not to distribute condoms this year, which she said stemmed from the CBCP's strong pressure for the department to abandon the condom-giving initiative. "This is not your usual everyday activity that you can easily defer," she said. "We are talking here of saving lives, of protecting our people. Kung ayaw nilang gampanan ang kanilang trabaho sa publiko, kami na lang ang gagawa nito (If they do not want to do their duty to the public, then we will do it)." Bag-ao added that the CBCP, particularly Fr. Melvin Castro who said the distribution of condoms would send the wrong signal to the public, is "grossly misinformed" about the sexual behavior of Filipinos. "Even without condom distribution, the people are having sex," she said. "There is so much information about sex, but the organized dissemination of correct information is lacking." "The policy does not promote sex. It promotes informed choices and decisions," Bag-ao added. "The message we want to convey to the public is for them to protect themselves and be responsible." Hontiveros said that instead of calling for "civil disobedience" against the RH bill, the Church hierarchy should instead rally the people to the cause of providing the public with the widest array of options, and spreading the correct information about sexuality and reproductive health. "We urge the Filipino people to demand the government to ensure that each and every citizen has access to information and material supplies that will protect these rights," she said. RH advocates and PNoy are in "LQ" Meanwhile, Hontiveros said RH advocates are now in a "lover's quarrel" or "LQ" with President Benigno Aquino III because the latter changed his mind about making the RH bill or the Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill a priority measure to be submitted to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). "Malalim at matindi ang pagtatampo [kay President Aquino] subalit susubukan natin siyang kumbinsihin na ipasok ang RH bilang priority measure, para bigyan ng malakas na senyales ang House of Representatives na totoong mahalaga ito sa kanyang administrasyon," Hontiveros said. (We feel resentment towards President Aquino, but we will still try to convince him to include the RH bill in his priority measures, so that it sends a strong signal to the House of Representatives that the bill is important to his administration.) Bag-ao said she is hoping that the consolidated RH bill will be approved at the committee hearing on February 16. "Sana hindi matakot si Pangulong Noy sa RH bill at hindi siya matakot na suportahan ito," she said. Despite Aquino's sudden "withdrawal of support" from the RH bill, Hontiveros said she trusts that Aquino will stay true to his promise to support the RH bill. "Anuman ang kanyang timetable o pamamaraan para sa wakas ay magkaroon ng RP bill ay susubaybayan namin at susuporta kami tungo sa direksyon na iyon," she said. Condoms and family planning Dry goods vendor Manny Santos, 32, was surprised when an Akbayan representative handed him a condom. "Namimigay sila ng libre, nagulat lang ako na inabot sa akin (I was surprised that they were handing out condoms for free)," he said. "Kung hindi ka rin handang madagdagan ng anak, importante rin ang condom at family planning," he said, adding that he supports the provisions of the RH bill. (Condoms and family planning are important if you're not ready to have another child.) The father of three said he is not financially ready at present to have another child. "Importante din na pag-usapan ng mag-asawa kung ano yung plano nila sa pamilya. Kung ano 'yung makabubuti, 'yun ang dapat gawin ng mag-asawa," he said. (It is important that couples talk about what's best for their family. The couple should do that they think will benefit them.) – VVP, GMA News