Palasyo: Aquino makig-diyalogo sa mga obispo kalabut sa RH issue

SI Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III mismo ang mo atubang sa mga Katolikong obispo sa umaabot nga diyalogo kalabut sa reproductive health, matud pa sa tigpamaba sa Malacañang nga si Edwin Lacierda niadtong Lunes.

Sa usa ka pagpakig-pulong sa mga tigbalita niadtong Lunes sa hapon, si Lacierda miangkon nga nasayop siya sa pagsulti sa usa ka press conference sayo nianang buntaga nga usa ka opisyal nga representante gikan sa gobyerno ang ipadala kon di makatambong ang Presidente alang sa usa ka diyalogo.

Giangkon ni Lacierda nga nasayop siya paghubad sa text message ni Aquino. Matud pa niya nga nahinabi na niya ang Presidente og nipasalig kini nga siya mismo ang motambong sa maong diyalogo tali sa mga obispo.

Si Lacierda nagkanayon nga ang opisyal nga representante sa kagamhanan mao lamang ang mohusay sa maong diyalogo tali sa Presidente ug sa mga Obispo. Apan dugang pa ni Lacierda nga sa pagkakaron, wala pa hinuoy napili nga opisyal nga representante.

Gi klaro usab sa tigpamaba sa Palasyo nga dili tinuod ang gikatahong preliminary meeting tali ni Aquino ug sa mga obispo sa miaging Biyernes. Matud pa ni Lacierda nga si Aquino nakig-bayloay lamang og text messages sa usa ka obispo — apan wala kini hinganli ni Lacierda — diin gipasalig ni Aquino ang katuyuan sa kagamhanan nga makipag-diyalogo. (PIA-Bohol)

Mga Obispo mihulga og civil disobedience kalabut sa RH bill

MIHULGA ang mga Katolikong obispo nga ilang pangunahan ang kampanya sa civil disobedience kon mamahimong balaod ang kontrobersyal nga reproductive health (RH) bill.

Sa usa ka pagpakighinabi sa radyo niadtong Miyerkoles, ang pangulo sa Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) public affairs unit nga si Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr., nagkanayon nga ang population control angay nga trabahuon sa gobyerno ug sa simbahan. Apan ang simbahan hugtanon sa ilang baruganan nga ‘non-negotiable’ kabahin sa artificial contraception.

Matud pa ni Iñiguez nga hayan nga mamahimong balaod ang RH bill tungod sa bag-ohay lang nga pamahayag ni Presidente Benigno Simeon Aquino III nga pabor kini sa “responsible parenthood” nga maghatag og kagawasan sa mga magtiayon sa pagpili gikan sa natural ngadto sa artificial methods.

Niadtong Martes, ang Malacañang niingon nga dili bag-ohon ni Aquino ang iyang baruganan mahitungod sa responsible parenthood bisan pa sa pagbabag sa simbahan sa paggamit sa artificial birth control methods.

Apan matud pa ni Iñiguez nga magpabiling bukas ang simbahan sa usa ka diyalogo tali sa kagamhanan mahitungod niini ug kon adunay imbitasyon gikan sa gobyerno, pwede kining ipaagi sa CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life. (PIA-Bohol)

Aquino open to dialogue with bishops

President Benigno S. Aquino III is more than willing to sit down with the Catholic clergy if they want to hear his position on the controversial Reproductive Health Bill being pushed in Congress.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview that sitting down with the church leaders is the best way for the President to explain his responsible parenthood position on family planning.

In his meeting with Filipino expatriates in San Francisco during his US visit, the President explained that the obligation of the government on family planning is to inform everybody of their responsibilities, and provide assistance to a particular method they want to employ for their family.

On the US grant of a $434 billion (P19 billion) financial assistance to the Philippines, Lacierda assured the Catholic leadership that the money will be spent wisely particularly on the administration’s anti-poverty program such as the Kalahi CIDSS, and strengthening the anti-corruption effort of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Lacierda issued the assurance in response to the allegation of Fr. Melvin Castro, executive director of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, that the President is “selling out the Filipino soul” in exchange for the US grant.

He stressed that such statement is unfair and below the belt because the grant has been approved by the US government and released only to President Aquino after he met the guidelines set by the United Nations Millennium development goals. (PCOO/PIA)

CBCP to Aquino: State stand on RH bill in SONA

A Catholic Church official urged President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to state publicly his position on the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill in his first State of the Nation Address on July 26.

Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Commission on Family and Life, said on Thursday Aquino should lay down his plan regarding family planning.

“His next years at the helm of the government would show if he believes our populace is an asset or liability … Our appeal to him is prioritize good governance and poverty would be solved,” Castro said in an article posted on the CBCP news site.

Earlier, Philippine bishops urged Aquino to reject current policies that promote artificial contraception to control the country’s growing population.

CBCP President Nereo Odchimar said the government must protect the sanctity of life by putting an end to contraceptive mentality.

Odchimar said the bishops hope the new administration will not pursue programs that promote the use of contraceptives such as condoms and pills.

Aquino has been known to be in favor of the reproductive health bill, saying he wants contraceptives to be available in government health centers, the CBCP noted. (PIA-Bohol)

Cong. Chatto says that the P1 B worth of the Reproductive Health Bill be used for needed medicines instead

Representative of the First District, Congressman Edgar Chatto is disappointed of P1 billion worth of the Reproductive Health Bill. The congressman says that it be used to buy medicines in the hospitals which the poor badly need rather than buy medicines that prevent pregnancy.

According to Chatto, the bill had already passed through the committee after they were defeated, in the voting, by the majority. However, the congressman does not feel troubled since the bill is still debated in the plenary. He assures that he will vote no for the bill, together with his comrades and the Church.