Couples should be allowed to make an informed choice, say Estrada, Legarda, Binay

Three declared presidential aspirants from the ranks of the Opposition on Friday night showed their inclination to adopt a policy promoting reproductive health and responsible parenthood, and funding it, when they become President. They went directly against the position of President Arroyo, who, despite her admission of having used contraceptives as a young mother, refuses to push artificial methods in the government's family planning program.

Speaking at the leadership forum organized by the ABS-CBN News Channel at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, former President Joseph Estrada, Senator Loren Legarda, and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay expressed their support for an information campaign on reproductive health that give families informed choices in deciding their family sizes.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, another oppositionist who had earlier confirmed attendance to the forum, backed out and instead sent a video announcing that he was dropping out of the presidential race for insufficient campaign funding. Lacson, when he first ran for senator in 2001 and for president in 2004, was one of the few candidates, if not the only candidate, who categorically said he would set up a family planning program that would provide information and funds for Filipinos to avail of artificial family planning methods.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Bayani Fernando, the only administration representative at the forum, said he would follow the teachings of the Catholic Church and support only natural methods of family planning.

The issue of reproductive health was raised with guests at the second ANC forum of "presidentiables" amid difficulties being faced by the reproductive health bill in Congress.

Estrada said he realized how big the problem is during his short-lived administration when population growth rate was at 2.8 percent. The figure, he said, translates to 1.7 million babies a year. Estrada said there is a need to teach couples the right size of family they can afford.

“It is a big problem. There are millions of malnourished kids and millions of kids that have no chance of going to school," Estrada said. “We are creating potential prostitutes and criminals because they were not given opportunities in life.”

Legarda, meanwhile, said she is for informed choice for women but is against abortion.

“It is important that women are allowed to be able to make enlightened informed decisions about their bodies, in consultation with their husbands, spouses, or partners and what is in tune with their beliefs, religion, culture, and values,” Legarda said.

The former vice presidential candidate added that there is also a need to bring down maternal mortality rates. “It is growing because of lack of knowledge and information and it is always the vulnerable, the poor, and the marginalized rural women who are affected.”

Makati’s Binay, meanwhile, said that there should be freedom of choice and right of birth. Like Legarda, he is also not in favor of abortion.

“Women should be given a chance to make decisions in tune with their beliefs,” Binay said, adding that the discussion of reproductive health has been triggered by the decision of some foreign donors to stop donating contraceptives to the Philippines.

Binay also cited his city's very low population growth rate and maternal mortality rate compared to the national rates.

For his part, Fernando, also a former mayor of Marikina City said he does not favor modern contraception. “I follow the precepts of my Church. I am not for modern contraception but I am for natural ways of limiting the number of children to affordable levels. I think we should really spend some money to educate people on natural way [of family planning.]”

The Philippines is the 12th most populous country in the world, with around 88.6 million inhabitants as of 2007. Its population grew at 2.04 percent from 2000 to 2007 and is expected to double or reach 177 million in 2041.

The reproductive health bill is still pending in the Congress. The bill seeks for more funding for a government campaign to promote natural and artificial family planning. Politicians usually avoid discussing the issue because they were afraid of antagonizing the Catholic Church, which is perceived to have a strong influence among the voters.

Since the 9th Congress, similar bills have been filed but were met with strong opposition from the Catholic hierarchy and lobby groups that interpret some of its provision as promoting abortion and irresponsible sex.

Recent survey, however, showed that majority of the Filipinos support the legislation. A Pulse Asia survey in October 2008 showed that 63 percent of the Filipinos support the bill. (Newsbreak)

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