MANILA, Jan. 15, 2010—Presidential survey frontrunner Senator Benigno Aquino is likely to lose major votes if Catholics will seriously take a call from their church leaders not to vote for candidates supporting birth control.

In its “catechism” for the 2010 Elections, the Catholic bishops’ leadership asked the faithful not to vote for politicians who would back the controversial Reproductive Health bill.

The 20-page guidelines underscore the church’s position on “family and life issues,” which is how the Catholic hierarchy refers to the debate over RH bill.

“…it would not be morally permissible to vote candidates who support candidates who support anti-family policies, including reproductive health, or any other moral evil such as abortion, divorce, assisted suicide and euthanasia,” the guidelines read.

“Otherwise one becomes an accomplice to the moral evil in question,” it also said.

Presidentiables

Aquino, who keeps the lead in all presidential surveys, has been very vocal on his support on population control.

He said legislation on RH bill can help provide the sex education that present and future generations’ need, in answer to the misinformation they may get from the Internet and other media.

Should the Catholic Church boycott him in the 2010 elections because of his support for the RH bill, he said he would rather heed his conscience.

Like Aquino, his cousin and administration bet, Gilbert Teodoro said he would not back down birth control, adding it was the government’s duty to educate the couples on family planning.

Former president Joseph Estrada was also supportive the measure which seeks to promote artificial family planning.

Of the presidentiables, Councilor John Carlos (JC) de los Reyes, Senator Manuel Villar and Bro. Eddie Villanueva are only those who are totally against the bill.

The others—Senator Richard Gordon and Nicanor Perlas—only expressed reservations on some provisions of the controversial measure which according to the proponents will address the issue of unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition, unemployment and poverty.

Villar and a number of anti-RH bill lawmakers from the Senate and Congress recently had a closed-door meeting with CBCP officials led by its president Bishop Nereo Odchimar at the CBCP office in Manila.

Aside from promoting artificial family planning, RH bill will also include sex education for students and advice on artificial contraception, which the church considers as immoral.

Population control is a touchy issue in the Philippines—Asia’s only predominantly Catholic nation—with the Church opposing government programs that promote the use of contraceptives.

Approval

The catechism was a product of the national gathering of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life’s (ECFL) directors and lay coordinators last Nov. 30 in Antipolo City.

It was formally released to the public, however, only this week after the material went through Bishop Odchimar for final approval.

Fr. Melvin Castro, ECFL executive secretary said the initiative was aimed at ensuring the voters would choose the “right candidates” who will lead the country.

He said a candidate’s position on RH bill, which the church had tried to block, mirror’s his or her stand on life and family.

“… and then from there, we can deduce their positions on other issues,” said Castro.

But Castro clarified the catechism for the 2010 polls was made only to serve as a guide for the faithful and a course of action.

When casting their votes, Filipinos, he said, must consider social interest over self interest, and decide guided by moral principles. (Roy Lagarde)