The family planning law was blocked by the Catholic church for more than a decade before it was passed |
A
family-planning bill that was blocked by the Catholic Church for more than a
decade is approved by the president.
The
Philippine President has signed into law a family-planning bill that was
blocked by the Catholic Church for more than a decade.
Presidential
spokeswoman Abigail Valte said that President Benigno Aquino III had signed the
law on December 21 and that his administration announced it only on Saturday
because of the "sensitivity" of the issue.
"The
passage into law of the Responsible Parenthood Act closes a highly divisive
chapter of our history - a chapter borne of the convictions of those who argued
for, or against this act, whether in the legislative branch or in civil
society," Abigail Valte said.
"At the
same time, it opens the possibility of cooperation and reconciliation among
different sectors in society: engagement and dialogue characterized not by
animosity, but by our collective desire to better the welfare of the Filipino
people," she said.
The law,
which will take effect next month, allows government funding for contraceptives
that would be made available especially for poor women.
Argument persists
It promotes
responsible parenthood and requires officials to provide information on family
planning options as well as education on reproductive health and sexuality.
Both
chambers of parliament passed the final version of the act on December 19 after
an acrimonious debate pitting non-government organisations and women's groups
against the country's dominant church and its lay organisations.
The Catholic
Church, which approves only natural forms of birth control, had blocked the
legislation for the last 13 years.
The Church
and its supporters said the law was immoral and would promote promiscuity.
Asia's
largest Catholic country has a population of 94 million and an average annual
growth rate of 1.9 percent, one of the fastest in the region.
The
Philippines has one of Asia's highest birth rates, with the United Nations
estimating that half of the country's 3.4 million pregnancies each year are
unplanned.
The
government's Commission on Women said that maternal mortality also remains
high, with 162 deaths for every 100,000 live births, while 10 women die every
day from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications.
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