CBCP hits ‘deceptive’ US survey on condoms

Catholic Church leaders have not softened their opposition to the use of contraceptives and an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday tagged as a deception the recent survey conducted by a United States-based group that showed 77 percent of Filipino Catholics believe that the use of condoms is “pro-life.”

CBCP spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio also said the move of a group of local reproductive health rights advocates to cite this survey conducted by the Catholics for Free Choice was meant to “fit their own agenda.”

Quitorio was reacting to a statement made by the local group Forum for Family Planning and Development Inc. urging the Catholic Church to reconsider its policy against the use of contraceptives, particularly condoms.

The group also urged the Arroyo administration to fund government hospitals and health centers nationwide to be able to give reproductive and family planning services to poor citizens.

The group cited a study by a US-based organization that showed that most Filipino Catholics believe that the use of condoms is “pro-life” since it saves lives by preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.

The same survey, conducted from Aug. 15 to Sept. 10 this year, also showed that 65 percent of Filipinos believe that government-funded hospitals, clinics and health centers should be required to include condoms as part of the effort to stop the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Quitorio told The STAR in an interview that citing the prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases to promote contraception is “looking at the issue in a very stretched way.”

He said the use of contraceptives like condoms can never be “pro-life” even if it aims to prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.

“Pro-life begins in the womb... How can you become pro-life if you kill a baby?” Quitorio said.

Quitorio said that the use of condoms also cannot guarantee the prevention of the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases like AIDS and HIV.

“The spread of AIDS is not addressed by contraception. Like in Thailand, they’re using it but AIDS is still proliferating,” he cited.  

With the strong influence that the Catholic Church has over government policy in the country, reproductive health advocates find it hard to advance their agenda.

And the fact that the country’s top official is herself a devout Catholic only makes it harder for these advocates. – Reinir Padua