Team DailyPedia
In a press conference last May 22 (Sunday), Presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that his administration will push for a three-child policy and family planning as part of his administration’s economic agenda.
The Roman Catholic Church via the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has been very vocal about their opposition to any artificial means of family planning as they claimed that it goes against the teaching of Christ from the Bible. Church leaders (influencing legislators in the process) lobbied against the controversial Reproductive Health Bill which was eventually passed into law.
During the May 22 interview, soon-to-be President Duterte went into specifics on the aggressive implementation of the proposed family planning law as part of his administration’s economic growth agenda. This reaction came from a report about a woman who had given birth to her tenth child without planning her family, something which enraged the tough-talking Duterte.
“It will do us good (referring to family planning). Mas maraming magawa ‘yan. Walang kasamaan ‘yan. Ako naman, I said, I am a Christian but I am a realist and we have to do something about overpopulation. fundamental beliefs do not solve the problem of our country anymore,” presumptive President Duterte said.
[“It will do us good (referring to family planning). It will accomplish many things. There is nothing evil there. I said, I am a Christian but I am a realist and we have to do something about overpopulation. fundamental beliefs do not solve the problem of our country anymore,” presumptive President Duterte said.]
Duterte detailed why the conservative stance of the Roman Catholic church that has affected the passing and implementation of progressive laws is no longer relevant in today’s modern society. He also said that he knows his stance will come into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church and its outspoken representatives.
“I take the opposite view; I defy the opinion or the belief of the Church. The ideas there (were) written 2000 years ago and it does not relate or find relevance to our society. I don’t give much importance to the spiritual; walang maitutulong iyan, sa totoo lang. What you should worry about is how you suffer here on this planet. You do not worry about suffering after you make the exit,” Duterte emphasized.
[“I take the opposite view; I defy the opinion or the belief of the Church. The ideas there (were) written 2000 years ago and it does not relate or find relevance to our society. I don’t give much importance to the spiritual; they aren’t of any help, realistically speaking. What you should worry about is how you suffer here on this planet. You do not worry about suffering after you make the exit,” the incoming President of the Republic emphasized.]
Duterte once again took a jab at Roman Catholic Church leaders and their opposition to his support of artificial birth control. In an earlier press conference, he even called some religious leaders hypocrites who have allowed themselves to be “prostituted.”
“Hindi nga ninyo ma-correct correct yung mga abuses ng mga pari. Until now you have not done anything. There’s so many things the Church has committed,” he said.
(“You cannot even correct the abuses of some priests. Until now you have not done anything. There’s so many things the Church has committed,” he said.)
On May 23 (Monday), a day after his press conference, Duterte seemed to take a softer stance on the issue.
“I cannot force the people to follow. We are just suggesting that you are in good hands if you just limit the number of your children,” Duterte clarified.
