Aquino respects gay marriage but hesitant on adoption

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III said he respects the rights of gay couples to get married but admitted that he has reservations if the couple wants to adopt a child.

“I don’t think I’m ready to tackle that fight right now… But the perspective, and I really would have to take quite a lot of… it is their choice,” Aquino said in an interview in New York during the Asia Society Forum Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

The President stressed that he has no problem in gay relationships as long as they don’t trouble anybody.

However, on the issue on adopting a child, Aquino seems hesitant on the welfare of the child.

“Normally I would say, you’re adults, you should be able to do whatever you want so long as it doesn’t hurt anybody else. But if the next step is we want the right to adopt, then, I would be in a dilemma,” he said.
“My priority would be looking after the child who has a very tender and impressionable mind,” he added.

In the same interview, the President also explained the administration’s stand on Reproductive Health bill, which has been strongly debated in Congress.

“We’re not after population control per se. We are after educating all of our citizens… that’s why we call the version of the bill “responsible parenthood,” you’re parents, you’re supposed to take care of your children,” he said.

“Now we will help them, after education, we will rest on their consciences and their beliefs and enable them to act on their decisions as to how best to plan their prospective families and exercise responsible parenthood,” he added. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)