MANILA, Philippines—Saying her faith as a Roman Catholic influenced her policy decision, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo virtually indicated that she was set to veto the controversial reproductive health bill currently under consideration at the House of Representatives.
“My faith has a very, very strong influence on me,” she told delegates to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 100 Leadership Forum in Malacañang on Wednesday night.
“There are many ways to skin a cat. Some ways are more Roman Catholic than other ways, so I use the Roman Catholic way each time.”
Ms Arroyo said her faith was manifested on the issue of population management. “I’m pro-life as far as population is concerned,” she said. “I’m pushing for birth spacing, not birth control.”
Ms Arroyo, a mother of three children, issued the statement amid plenary deliberations on House Bill No. 5043, or the Reproductive Health bill, at the lower chamber.
