Bishop sees devil in family-health bill

GOTCHA, Published in The Philippine Star, December 7, 2007

Bishop Honesto Ongtioco came out with guns blazing last month. He had heard of a plan in Quezon City to lay down a population management and reproductive health policy. Right away he saw the devil in proponent Councilor Joseph Juico. “All parish priests, school directors, religious men and women, and lay organizations” in his diocese of Cubao needed to be rallied. In a fiery directive Ongtioco enumerated the evils he perceived in the bill, and his countermeasures:

• It threatens “the sanctity of human life and family”;

• It will “effect adversely contraception, abortifacients and ‘safe’ abortion”;

• It “will make compulsory the teaching of contraceptive methods to pupils from Grade V up to Fourth Year High School students under a punitive provision of imprisonment and fines if they are not followed”;

• “It takes away from us our intrinsic inalienable right to the free exercise of a correct conscience, and our right to freedom of worship”;

• “Believing in the truth handed down to us from the Lord Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church ... we need to defend millions of lives at stake who will be killed because of the cancerous effects of the Pill, the abortifacient effect of the IUD, and the lie about condom as a deterrent to AIDS.”

It is unsure if Ongtioco had read the bill beforehand. What’s clear, though, is that nowhere in the seven pages can be found what he stated.

Contrary to the bishop’s first point, the opening line alone reiterates what the Constitution requires. That is, “that the State recognize the sanctity of life, and protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” The bill restates as well other State policies: recognizing the role of women in society and gender equality, and protecting and promoting the right to health of people.

The problem of health is most evident in a growing number of hungry households. The bill quotes studies that “poverty incidence ... (is) greater among families with more children. Only 15.7 percent of two-child families are poor compared to almost half (48.7 percent) of families that have seven children.” In Quezon City, children from poor families are sickly, and one of every five mothers who do not want to bear children anymore does not know what to do.

The ordinance sees the solution in planned, responsible parenthood and protection of women’s rights. Enforcement will be by instruction in hygiene, reproduction, and safe planning and spacing of children — all this, by free choice.

Throughout the seven pages, the bill condemns abortion. It states: “While a wide range of family planning methods, techniques and devices shall be made available to couples ... abortion shall not be allowed, as provided in the Revised Penal Code. The very definition of family planning deems abortion illegal. The objective of population and health programs is, among others, “preventing abortion”. But in case health workers encounter the malady, “women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental, fair and compassionate manner.”

There is no malice or forced used of contraceptives in sex education. Cancer awareness will be stressed, contrary to the claim that cancer will be spread. The curriculum for appropriate ages shall include: responsible sexuality and reproductive health rights; reproductive health care, and services and contraception; attitudes, values and beliefs on sexual development, behavior and health; responsible parenthood; prevention, treatment and management of HIV/AIDS and other STIs/STDs, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological and reproductive system disorders and illnesses; and maternal care and breastfeeding.

The bill compels city and barangay officials to provide for safe family planning teaching and devices. Employers are not to discriminate against women, especially the pregnant, in hiring or firing. City Hall shall put in an initial P12 million for implementation. It is to the breach of these duties and obligations that fines and jail terms are attached.

Despite the wide gap between what Ongtioco reads and what the bill actually states, some clergymen have stepped up the attack. Their target is Juico who, ironically, comes from a very Catholic family. Ligaya ng Panginoon, among other Church units, cherishes his parents, Philip and Margie for lay ministries in missions and Christ-centered marriages. So it came as a surprise for them that diocesan spokesmen have called such actions like withholding Communion from Joseph. A report had it that the bishop will not allow him to wed in any of the diocese’s churches.

Juico calmly has met with the bishop and subordinates, and invited them to forthcoming public hearings. Through open discussion will the truth emerge. But mom Margie pointed out something for them to ponder on: “I have never seen the Church so vicious in its attacks that, in the process, it loses the virtues it should stand for.”

* * *

Divers have a simple proposal to save the butanding (whale shark) and dugong (sea cow). Declare them by executive order the national fish and sea mammal, reiterate the penalties for catching or killing them, and spread the word. Filipinos would learn to protect the national symbols against local or foreign poachers.