CBCP dismayed over inclusion of RH Bill as priority measure

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday expressed its dismay over the inclusion of the controversial Reproductive Health bill among the 13 priority measures President Benigno Aquino III presented to Congress through the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). Aquino also announced that the Palace's version of the proposed measure, the Responsible Parenthood bill will be certified as a priority bill.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV In a report on GMA News TV's "News TV Live," CBCP vice president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma urged "pro-life" legislators to block the Responsible Parenthood bill because it promotes artificial family planning methods. The Catholic Church officially supports only natural methods of contraception. In a press briefing after the LEDAC meeting Tuesday, Aquino said certain provisions of the RH Bill were deemed "not necessary to achieve the desired aims." Aquino proposed the removal of a provision which pegged the ideal number of children in each family to two. He also fixed at 11 years old, the age at which sex education will be taught to children. The Responsible Parenthood bill also seeks to give parents the option to give sex education talks themselves and allow Church-based hospitals the right to choose the kind of family planning method to promote. — BC/ELR/VS, GMA News