Birth Control in a Christian Dominated Country

The issue that strikes most developing countries is poverty. And here in the Philippines, poverty has become a way of life for more than half the population. What used to be the second most prosperous country in the Asia a few decades back has now become the prime destination for poverty, corruption, political scandals, and terrorism. Why is the Philippines so poor?

With the issue of poverty comes another issue of overpopulation. In fact, if we think about it, affluent countries in Asia like Singapore and Japan have no problems with overpopulation, and they are now the prime melting pot for international businesses and flourishing economy. In the Philippines, overpopulation is now being considered as the reason why poverty has been conquering Filipinos' lives. And now, government officials and some organizations are finding a way to control the population and fight poverty once and for all. However, whatever solution experts and government officials come up with, it seems that there will always be a party that will stand against it. Population control has always been a subject of controversy.

In China, overpopulation has been an issue for decades, resulting to the one-child policy which made a huge turn around - from five births per woman in the 1970's to 1.8 births per woman today. According to the National Statistics Office in the Philippines, the Filipinos are estimated to have a population of more than 128 million in 2050.

Today, birth control and family planning has become one of the controversial topics in relation to finding a solution for the country's overpopulation. Two months ago, a Quezon City Councilor, Joseph Juico, who authored the population management and reproductive health ordinance in the city, graced the local headlines of newspapers and TV news because of his stand on family planning, which angered the Catholic Church in the country. Diocese spokesperson, Fr. Aris Sison, in Cubao, a district in Quezon City, was even rumored to have threatened the young councilor of denying him the Holy Communion because of the bill.

Juico is first-district councilor who introduced an ordinance to grant easier access to artificial contraceptives and adolescent health education so poor Filipinos can be aware that having too many children in one family (which is common in the country) can affect their financial situation. Some poor families have as much as 10 children in one family due to the lack of education and knowledge about contraceptive and access to family planning. With more mouths to feed but lesser resources for financial income, many Filipinos are forced to suffer and live as beggars, or become criminals.

The rumored bickering between the councilor and the priest created a nation-wide debate, with current event forums in the Internet flooded with opinions from concerned citizens and readers. Although the priest denied the Juico's accusation of denying him communion, Juico, who was getting married at the time, decided to hold his wedding outside Metro Manila.

The Catholic Church has been known for its stand on family planning since Pope Paul VI issued the Encyclical Letter on the Regulation of Birth, also called Humanae Vitae, in 1968, the Church has campaigned against the institutionalization and widespread use of contraceptives. The Philippines has no law or bill that gives better access to family planning and contraceptives. Usually, only the educated middle- and upper-class are aware that unwanted pregnancies can be controlled.

After the controversy between Juico and Fr. Sison has faded, the issue about family planning still remains in the news. Recently, a women's group has advocated an online signature campaign to support a reproductive health bill authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.

The Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), through its organization, the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) decided to make a stand against oppositionists and gather a million signatures to spare the 10 Filipino women who die everyday from pregnancy and birth-related deaths. Abortion is still illegal in the country and some women with unwanted pregnancies are force to go to illegal abortionists who lack equipment, knowledge, and means to perform the operation.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines believe the solution to prevent furthermore unwanted pregnancies is abstinence. The CBCP is now willing to seek the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to prevent the passing of the health bill.

According to the World Fact Book, the population in the Philippines as of July 27, 2007, is 92,681,453.