Manila residents want law on reproductive health
MANILA, Philippines - A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that a majority of residents from the city of Manila supports having a law on reproductive health and thinks the Church is interfering with the government on reproductive health and family planning issues. The poll, conducted from Dec. 27 to 29, 2008 among 600 respondents, showed that 62 percent or six out of 10 Manila residents think the religious sector involves itself in government efforts on family planning and reproductive health.Despite this, 86 percent of the respondents still think there should be a national law on reproductive health, and 88 percent think the government should be required to teach family planning to the youth, according to the survey that was presented by the Forum for Family Planning and Development (The Forum) during its regular “Usapang PopDev” Forum in Quezon City.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the Church is losing its vise-like control over the Philippine populace. That is why priests and bishops have become more forceful in meddling in state affairs. They may have lost the people’s vote, but they’re replacing it with the power of the state. Unfortunately, the separation of church and state is de facto nonexistent in our country.