Priest urges Quezon women leaders to join church vs RH bill
LUCENA CITY, Philippines–A Catholic priest here on Saturday urged Quezon womenfolk to join the church in opposing the controversial reproductive health bill, which religious leader said would only sustain a “contraceptive mentality” among Filipino women.
“That RH bill is not pro-women, it’s not pro-life. It would only create a contraceptive mentality which in effect would only promote abortion,” Monsignor Leandro Castro, vicar general of the Diocese of Lucena, said in his homily during a mass at the Quezon Convention Center during the “Quezon Provincial Women’s Day” celebration.
However, Castro admits that he was not totally against House Bill 4244.
“It is unfair to say that it is totally negative. I’m an optimist, a positive thinker, that it (bill) could really promote women’s welfare. But the problem is, their methods are wrong. What they have been pushing is the contraceptive mentality,” the priest said.
“The bill is against God’s will,” he added.
The annual activity—organized by the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi-Quezon) headed by Anna Villaraza-Suarez, wife of Governor David Suarez—was attended by an estimated 8,000 woman leaders from different municipalities.
Kalipi is a national federation of women’s association organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in partnership with local government units.
Castro invited the women to join the Church-led mammoth protest march against the proposed measure on March 11 in Lucena City.
The bill endorses the use of modern family planning methods that are “safe, effective and legal methods, whether natural or artificial, that are registered with the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health.”
Castro chided the government for using population and poverty issue as a convenient excuse in its promotion and defense of the controversial legislative measure.
“Over-population is not the really issue here. What causes widespread poverty is the rampant corruption in the government,” the priest said.
The controversial bill elicited mixed reactions from the womenfolk.
“My family is a devout Catholic. I have to support the position of my Church. One can safely plan her family without contradicting God’s teaching,” said one Lita Marquez, a native of Lucena City and a mother of two young boys.
A delegate from the Lamon Bay area said she has to avail of artificial birth pills to prevent pregnancy.
“Another family member entails additional expenses which we could not afford. But I go to church every Sunday. God knows my decision,” a mother of a six-year old girl said but requested anonymity.
Bishop Emilio Marquez, head of the Diocese of Lucena, in his homilies in every Sunday masses, never fails to criticize the bill and warned parishioners that once it has been passed into law, there would be rampant pre-marital sex among young Filipinos.
Last January, Catholic church leaders in Quezon also held an anti-RH bill motorcade and peace rally here in Lucena City.
HB 4244 is set to be presented by House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman on March 8, which coincidentally falls on the International Women’s Day. Delfin T. Mallari Jr. Inquirer Southern Luzon
