MANILA, Philippines - For Valentine’s, would you want condoms or candies?
Pro-life advocates told CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), that they would be handing out candies on Valentine’s Day to people in Manila’s university belt and at Dangwa, the flower center of the metropolis.
According to pro-life groups, the candy-giving aims to counter the efforts of supporters of contraceptive use.
“As we all know, contraception advocates also give away free condoms on Valentine’s Day every year to promote sex, but not love,” said Anna Cosio of the Filipinos for Life.
Each pack would contain two locally made candies and a note that says, “Stay Pure! 1 Corinthians 6:20: ‘You were bought with the blood of Christ so honor God with your body.’”
Cosio said that the Feb. 14 celebration – in honor of St. Valentine of Rome, a Catholic martyr – has been hijacked by secularists pushing for their anti-life, anti-Christian agendas.
“On the contrary, what we young people want to promote is true love – the kind that is patient, kind, gentle and everything else written about it in 1 Corinthians 13,” she added.
Filipinos for Life is planning to team up with fellow chastity and life advocates from Love+Life Philippines, YouthPinoy and Pro-Life Philippines. They hope to reach out to more people with their message of “keeping the love real.”
Those interested to support their cause may volunteer to repack candies at the Pro-life Philippines Foundation, Inc. office at 70 Main Horseshoe Drive, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City on Feb. 11 (1 to 5 p.m.), Feb. 12 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Feb. 13 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Those who would want to donate candies may also drop them off at the same address. The group also accepts cash donations.
Others may participate through the #WeKeepLoveReal social media campaign or through the distribution of candies on Feb. 14.