Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) – “To introduce abortion into the Philippines would be like a tsunami for the company. We have five weeks before the new session of Congress, which begins on 9 May in order to save the Country,” Catholic pro-life activists in the Philippines tell Fides. Throughout the Country there is an ongoing debate on the document before Congress, entitled “Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act”. Changes and amendments are currently being debated and then the approval passage through the House is expected in May. During this phase, pro-abortion forces and organisations, and those which promote birth control and family planning, are pushing to take this opportunity to abortion legal. This complaint was lodged with Fides by pro-life Human Life International (HLI) association in the Philippines, raising awareness throughout churches, schools and streets to prevent this. The Constitution of the Philippines currently does not allow the practice of abortion.
The pro-life campaign to block the document has received the support of the Country's Episcopal Conference. Lawyer and legal counsel for the Bishops, Jo Imbong, says to Fides that “the document threatens fundamental rights, the ideals and aspirations of Filipinos as they are written into the Constitution.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 7/4/2011)
