‘Don’t use pandemic for anti-life advocacy’, priest appeals

A call by the Population Commission for the distribution of birth control tools amid the coronavirus pandemic ran into a wall of criticism from a pro-life group.

Fr. Melvin Castro, spiritual adviser of Pro-Life Philippines, questioned the promotion of condoms and contraceptives at a time when many people are hungry amid the lockdown.

“May I ask the ‘reproductive health’ proponents to cease and desist taking opportunity of this pandemic crisis to further the anti-life advocacy,” said Castro, who is also a former executive secretary of the bishops’ Commission on Family and Life.

“When people barely survive and do not know where to get their living, the last thing they need are your condoms and contraceptive pills,” he said.

The priest said the aggressive birth control effort amid the pandemic is detached from the real need of the people.

As a concrete example, he cited a recent theft case at a restaurant wherein the suspects only took food items.

“No machine, no appliances were taken. They took the food kept in the freezer. They need food, not contraceptives,” Castro said.

The PopCom earlier called on local authorities to ensure public access to contraceptives as strict quarantine continues in several parts of the country.

The agency said the move is necessary so that no unintended pregnancies happen while the pandemic rages on.