The Catholic Church in the Philippines has suffered a significant setback after Congress passed a reproductive health bill that provides contraceptives to those who need them, despite fierce opposition from the Church. The bill, which had been debated for over a decade, was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III, marking a rare defeat for the Church's influence on national policy.
The Church had campaigned vigorously against the bill, with priests denying communion to community health workers and threatening the president with excommunication. However, public opinion polls showed that 70% of Filipinos supported the measure, reflecting a shift in attitudes among the predominantly Catholic population.
Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a former head of the Catholic Bishops Conference, acknowledged that the bill's passage 'shows that the church is losing influence over its members.' Analysts attribute this to the changing media landscape, where the Church's teachings now compete with diverse sources of information from newspapers, radio, TV, and the internet.
The Philippines has one of the highest population growth rates in Asia, adding nearly two million people annually to its 100-million population. The country also faces an estimated 600,000 illegal abortions each year, resulting in about 1,000 deaths. The new law aims to address these issues by providing contraceptives to the poorest, who bear the brunt of the population growth.
For many Filipinos like Jennievic Betana, a 24-year-old mother of three living in a Manila slum, the Church's stance on contraception conflicts with their immediate financial realities. 'I want to use birth control,' she said, 'but after paying for food, electricity and water, there's nothing left. I'll use it, even though I know it's a sin.'
