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How Far Can the Government Go?A symposium on the Clash between

The Church and the State

In the issue of theReproductive Health Bill

It is disheartening to note that until now, the key issues that hounded the Philippine Elections 2010 are

still left hanging in mid-air. Many, if not most, are still unanswered and hardly even discussed by the

media. One of these issues is the passage of a bill protecting the reproductive rights of the people,

particularly the poor. This was even one of the central issues debated upon by political hopefuls during

the past elections.

The issue on the passage of a law protecting the reproductive rights of the people is more popularly

known as the RH (Reproductive Health) debate. This debate sprung from the attempt of the 14th

Congress to pass HB 5043 (Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008) with the

staunch opposition coming from the Catholic Church particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the

Philippines together with pro-life civil society groups.

The objective of the said bill is twofold:

1. To uphold and promote respect for life, informed choice, birth spacing and responsible

parenthood in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards.i

2. To guarantee universal access to medically-safe, legal and quality reproductive health care

services and relevant information even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children.ii

This bill, to put it in black and white, aims to install accessibility of contraception to the poor. This,

however, is not an issue easily settled with within the community of stakeholders. The CBCP comes with

a position claiming that contraception is intrinsically evil.iii

It even extends its argument by claiming that

the Bill could violate the consciences of educators who refuse to teach forms of family planning that

violate their religious traditions. This provision, the CBCP states, could also violate the rights of parents

to determine the education of their children if the proposed curriculum would contradict their religious

beliefs.iv

Hence, the deadlock leaving the bill unpassed in the last congress.

With these conditions, it is also important to note how the CBCP tried to sway the Catholic voters in the

May 2010 elections saying that those who vote for pro-RH Bill candidates could be considered

accomplices to moral evil.v

However, the bill is, according to some speculation, expected to be passed in the 15th

Congress. HB 96

entitled Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Populat ion Development Act of 2010was

filed by Rep. Edcel Lagman on July 1, 2010, the first session day of the 15th

Congress.

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Given this as backdrop, the UP Philosophical Society of the University of the Philippines Diliman, as

part of its weeklong anniversary celebration (Defining the Absolute: 48 PhiloSoc Years of Continuity,

Defiance and Glory), will be holding a forum entitled How Far Can the Government Go? A symposium

on the Clash Between the Church and the State in the issue of the Reproductive Health Bil l. With this

forum, the society expects to answer questions on whether or not it is necessary to define a clear

separation between the Church and the State. Or, is the Church a fundamental element in the

formulation of checks and balances in the development of policies in the State especially when it

concerns morality and religious affairs?

The society deems that this issue needs to be resolved first so as to come up with pertinent policies

concerning the state. With this symposium, the society is hopeful to bring the issue to the students, to

the academe and, with the help of its media partners, to the public so as to come up with Filipino public

opinion about the matter.

The event would be divided into two major parts: the talk of the speakers from different points of view

regarding the RH Bill and an open forum that will follow afterwards. The speakers will be given 20

minutes at most to speak. There will be three speakers for each side and two professors who will

provide an analysis with 20 minutes each. The open forum would allow the audience to ask pertinent

questions to the speakers.

The society is firm in its belief that philosophy is essential, especially when it comes to arguing

government policies on the principle-level, in the development and building of a nation. Hence, witht he

forum, the society brings the issue closer to the public for the creation of Filipino public opinion.

iThis is taken from the full text of the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008. House

Committee on Health. In substitution of HB Nos. 17, 812, 2753 and 3970 introduced by Reps. Lagman, Garin,

Santiago III, Mendoza, Hontiveros-Baraquel and Madrona.ii

Ibid.iiiCCC 2370, Humanae Vitae, 14.

ivStanding Up for the Gospel of Life, CBCP Pastoral Statement on Reproductive Health Bill, November 14, 2008.

vA Catechism on Family and Life for the 2010 Elections. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal

Commission on Family and Life, December 27, 2009.