Perlas is a ‘pro-choice’ candidate

PRO-choice citizens with respect to reproductive health find an ally on environmentalist and independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas.

In an exclusive interview with Sun.Star, Perlas said he favors the “intent of the RH (Reproductive Health) bill but not the present content.”

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“I-clarify ang language of abortion, dapat walang abortion. It should not even be implying abortion. I am not in favor of methods or pills that could result to abortion. Basta maklaro yung abortion, I think it's easier to get passage of the bill," he said.

Perlas joins former President Joseph Estrada who earlier said that couples are responsible enough to decide on family planning.

He said the government should instead channel the resources for educating the public on family planning options rather than subsidizing the distribution of artificial contraceptives like condoms, intra-uterine devices (IUDs), spermicides, among others.

The 60-year-old agricultural scientist and former government consultant added that with proper education, the poor will have no excuse not to purchase condoms because they are affordable.

“Kasi ang feeling ko, the poor can afford condoms, if they can even afford spending on gambling, cigarettes, and alcohol,” Perlas said.

Presidential candidates saw themselves flip-flopping on the issue, like survey front-runner Liberal Party bet Senator Noynoy Aquino who conceded to the Catholic Church after receiving flak due to his earlier support to the controversial and shelved House Bill 5043.

Aquino’s rival, Senator Manny Villar, has been consistent against the RH bill, saying a well-managed economy can feed the population.

Administration bet Gilbert Teodoro had earlier thrown support for the bill but is now advocating “moral choice" on the issue to please disparate sectors.

In December last year, his wife Tarlac Representative Monica "Nikki" Teodoro withdrew her signature from the resolution supporting the bill claiming it does not give solution to poverty.

Tele-evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas and John Carlos "JC" De los Reyes of Ang Kapatiran meanwhile are strong advocates of pro-Church stand on natural family planning, which disagrees on the use of contraceptives and other artificial birth-control methods.

Bagumbayan standard bearer Senator Richard Gordon said he will not campaign for the passage of the bill but maintained that it is the government’s duty to ensure good health for the Filipinos by educating them on how to take care of themselves.

A Pulse Asia survey released Friday showed that six in 10 Filipinos will support a candidate who made public support for modern family planning methods.

The same survey said six percent said they would not vote for candidates in favor of modern family planning methods, and 30 percent were undecided.

The survey on 1,800 respondents was done between February 21 to 25 at the height of the controversy on Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral’s order to distribute free condoms in Dangwa flower market in Manila during Valentine Day’s celebration.

The distribution sparked resignation calls from the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and pro-life groups but the secretary maintained that she will only vacate her post if President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a devout Catholic, told her to do so. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)