Pope's condom stand backed

MANILA, Philippines — Pro- and anti-advocates of Reproductive Health (RH) bill at the House of Representatives agreed on Monday with the statement of Pope Benedict XVI about the use of condom to fight human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is among the three killer diseases worldwide.

But Catholic Church leaders appealed to RH bill advocates not to distort the meaning of the Pope’s statement.

The Pope had said that condom use is acceptable “in certain cases,” notably to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said he cannot disagree with the Pope when he accepted for the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS, which has affected millions of lives globally.

“The Pope is absolutely right. Unless government pushes the use of condoms, a greater number of Filipinos will be lost to HIV that causes AIDS, which has become a grave public health threat,” he said.

Barzaga noted that in the Philippines, more than 100 new HIV cases are already being diagnosed and reported every month. “There’s no telling how many cases are left undiagnosed or unreported monthly,” Barzaga said.

But, Parañaque Rep Roilo Golez, who authored House Bill 13 seeking to provide protection to unborn children, warned that the Pope’s statement cannot be considered as a license by RH people to promote condoms.

“It is only for male prostitutes with AIDS. Not like the pro-RH condoms which are meant to prevent life,” he said. “The RH people cannot use this to promote condoms. The RH objective in promoting condom is primarily to prevent life, and secondarily to prevent infection,” he added.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said that the Pope’s pronouncement could impact the Catholic Church’s hard stance on contraceptives.

“It will have repercussions on the current debates in Congress on reproductive health and responsible parenthood,” he pointed out.

Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan, who is among the authors of the six RH bills pending at the Lower Chamber, described Pope’s declaration as “an opening of the dark tunnel which can enlighten the Catholics and non-Catholics and lead the flock towards the light of understanding and acceptance of the realities of the times.”

She said the Pope already hinted the need for various quarters to mull over the passage of a comprehensive RH bill.

“If the Pope is widening the tunnel leading to truth wider, then we should not be more popish than the Pope. Then all can benefit from the light of change,” she said.

Davao del Sur Rep Marc Douglas Cagas IV said in view of the Pope’s statement, “we should pass the RH bill.”

Eastern Samar Rep Ben Evardone, for his part, expressed hope that “our local Catholic Church will take notice of that radical statement of the Pope to rethink their position on the issues of health and population.”

Bacolod City Rep Anthony Golez and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, who are co-authors of HB 19, welcomed Pope’s “open-minded” stance, but emphasized the need to protect and preserve life.

DIWA Rep Emmeline Aglipay and CIBAC Rep Sherwin Tugna also agreed with their colleagues that the Pope’s statement is a positive sign for initiatives pushing for responsible sexuality.

“Responsible sexuality is an issue which a responsible Church should tackle head on. The Church’s role in social change and in taking part in solutions to prevalent social ills, such as the spread of HIV cannot be overemphasized,” she said.

Tugna said the Catholic Church is deliberately opening its doors to the use of condoms and other forms of contraceptives to address poverty and population explosion.

But Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said pro-RH lawmakers should not distort the Pope’s statement for their own advantage.

“They misunderstood it. They should first understand what the Pope is really trying to say,” he said in an interview.

“They should not use and distort it (meaning),” added Iniguez.

The chairman of the Public Affairs Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said contrary to what these people are saying, the Church has remained against the use of condoms and other artificial contraceptives.

Bishop Emeritus of Novaliches Teodoro Bacani agreed with Iniguez, saying the interview of the Holy Father does not really point to the issue of condom use as a means of artificial contraceptive.

“The issue is not about birth control rather about AIDS prevention,” he said over Church-run Radio Veritas.

“There are instances when the Church allows it (condom use) provided it is not for contraceptives but a defense against AIDS,” added Bacani.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) Executive Secretary Fr. Melvin Castro said they will not make a statement yet until they have received the statement of Vatican.

“We are expecting an official Vatican statement tomorrow… from there, we shall make our own statement,” he said in a text message.

The House Committee on Population and Family Relations is set to tackle the six pending reproductive health bills this Wednesday, November 24.