Sun Star Davao: VICE Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is all out in his support to President Benigno Aquino III's campaign on family planning, a stance that has earned the country's Chief Executive the Roman Catholic Church's ire.
In his television program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" on Sunday, Duterte said even before the national issue came about, the City Government of Davao already passed its own reproductive health bill, which he signed into an ordinance last March 22, 2010.
"I am behind President Aquino on his crusade and I also support Representative Edcel Lagman on his (reproductive health) bill. In my time (as mayor), I encouraged ligation and vasectomy and spacing as family planning method," he said.
Even before the passage of the ordinance this year, the City Government, when Duterte was still mayor, was giving out incentives to mothers from poor families who already have five children, who undergo tubal ligation.
A bigger incentive was given to men who underwent vasectomy, but it was reported by the City Health Office then that very few men underwent the procedure despite the higher incentive. The rate then was P3,000 for a woman who underwent ligation, and P5,000 for a man who underwent vasectomy.
"Ang magtiayon may katungod sa ilang human rights on raising their children. We are just giving a choice. Ug uroy dili na kaya magpakaon ug magpaskwela sa kadaghan anak (Couples have the right to raise their children, we should give them a choice on how. You can just imagine if they can no longer feed and send to school their children all because they have too many)," Duterte said.
He said some church's teachings on family planning method contravene the human nature of procreation, thus making them impossible to follow.
"Naay mga relihiyon na mubangga sa biology sa tawo. Ilang i-prescribe ang puwasa. Dili man gyud na mahimo (There are some religion that go against the human biology. They prescribe sexual abstinence, which is almost impossible). The urge to procreate is the most powerful force in the entire universe. Your teachings go against the grain of biology," Duterte said.
He said couples have the right to choose which family planning method is most effective for them, and the government has the obligation to provide its constituents with all the possible choices available regardless of what is the stand of the Church.
"Tuo mo anang impyerno. Ang akong koneksyon sa Ginoo dili ang akong relihiyon kung dili ang akong pagtuo (Do not believe in hell. My connection with God is not through my religion but through my faith). There is no need for religion to go to Heaven and to talk to God. Excommunicate? Sige (Go ahead). My God understands my biological needs kay iya akong (because I am His) creation. Akong Ginoo masabtunon. Wa ko nagkinahanglan ug relihiyon para muadto sa langit or impyerno (My God is very understanding. I don't need religion to go to heaven or hell)," Duterte said.
"I maintain that the government must make available the pills but it should be given responsibly," he added. This means, contraceptives should not be readily available to the young.
City Ordinance 335-10 or the Women's Health Care Clinic Ordinance of Davao City, provides a comprehensive reproductive health service for the people.
It is part of the commitment of the local government of Davao to adopt a reproductive health care approach at all levels of health care delivery that integrates many issues not previously considered in population, such as sexuality, reproductive tract infections, gender power relations, domestic violence and is not limited to family planning and child bearing only. (BOT/Ivy C. Tejano)
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