MANILA, August 23, 2008—The Catholic Church across the country is soon to launch national ‘signature campaign’ against the Reproductive Health Bill (RHB) pending in Congress.

The influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Manila Archdiocese are spearheading the massive signature movement in every diocese, parish, Catholic school, church institution, and organization.

The ‘signature campaign’ is being supported by different parishes, Catholic schools, pro-life groups, catechists, teachers, among others, Mila Gapus, a catechist from Nuestra Senora Del Perpetuo Socorro Parish in Sampaloc, told CBCP News.

She said this after attending a meeting yesterday hosted by Manila Archdiocese and others regarding the launching of signature crusade against the RHB.

RHB is authored by Albay Congress man Edcel Lagman and others.

The Church poses serious objections in contraceptive programs, which supposedly champion the cause of women, but ignore the proven harmful side effects of contraceptives and, in some instances violate women’s rights.

The Church faults the Department of Health for the disregard and mere ‘lip service’ it pays to Natural Family Planning.

The proposed Bill as well as the Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2009 is setting aside more than P2 billion from tax payer’s money for the purchase of contraceptives. The Church stresses that this is money could instead be used to provide education, livelihood and basic services.

Gapus said the Church has decided to engage in intensive catechesis on family enshrined in Pope Paul VI’s “Humanae Vitae” and Pope John Paul II’s “Evangelium Vitae.”

The signature drive will reiterate that people are against the passage of the RHB, Gapus said.

She said a series of meetings are to be held in different parts of the country with Catholic school and parish representatives on the signature drive against the RHB, and educate the public on the ill-effects of the Bill. (Santosh Digal)