The Philippines Says No to Abortion
By , Published August 14th, 2010


Center for Reproductive Rights Meddles in the Philippines’ Cultural and Religious Beliefs. “No thanks,” reply Filipino Leaders.

The struggle to defend human life continues throughout the world, as does the push for pro-choice laws. Recent news out of the Philippines highlights how the gift of life is viewed by the political and religious leaders in that country, but at the same time should remind those on the “life” side of the battle to be ever vigilant for the encroachment of pro-choice ideology from those who will stop at nothing to impose their mandate of “reproductive rights” against the will of a people.

On August 2, 2010, top Filipino lawmakers and religious leaders affirmed their support for human life by rejecting an appeal from various pro-choice organizations which had urged Congress to pass a law allowing “safe and legal abortion”:

Reproductive health and women’s rights advocates urged Congress Monday to pass a law allowing “safe and legal abortion,” citing a new report that described a “human rights crisis” … arising from unsafe abortions in the Philippines…

The cited report, Forsaken Lives: The Harmful Impact of the Philippine Criminal Abortion Ban, was created by New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR). The request for the Philippine Judiciary to legalize abortion turns out to be a hard sell in a country that’s 90% Christian and whose churchgoing population is so large that some parishes hold their services in megamalls. The responses from Filipino leaders are refreshing for their honesty and bluntness. Below is a selection of the reception given to the pro-choice meddlers:

…the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP rejected the proposal. Responding to the figures describing the incidence of unsafe abortion cited by the CRR study, CBCP legal counsel Josephine Imbong said…“The cases that they are citing about poor women [seeking unsafe abortion] are exceptional. It is not the general rule. We have studies that the majority of women and mothers in this country love to have children. We cannot allow a minority to rule and change the law,” she said…

…Imbong asserted that abortion should not be allowed under any circumstances, including rape or incest. “Hindi naman kasalanan ng baby yun eh. Bakit siya papatayin?” (The rape is not the baby’s fault. Why should the baby be killed?)…

…“I don’t think the population can justify any legislation that would legalize abortion in this country,” said Rodante Marcoleta, a Christian pastor and member of the House of Representatives’ Alagad party…

Neither the Philippines Congress nor the Catholic Bishops’ Conference can necessarily be considered parties of “no.” Many of their members support a bill being sponsored by Congressman Roilo Golez, HB No. 13: Protection of the Unborn Child Act 2010, a proposed law that empowers humanity and glorifies the dignity of human life. The law states, in part:

The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution; (Art. 11, Sec. 12, and Constitution); The State shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn child from conception; The State recognizes the Filipino family including the unborn child as the foundation of the nation and is pledged to strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development; The Filipino family’s most vulnerable members are their children, including those who are unborn; The State recognizes the right to life as the most fundamental right of all without and from which all other rights become meaningless…

The struggle for the hearts and minds of people continues on both sides of the abortion issue. However, for those looking to find a shining example of a country that values the gift of life and is more than holding its ground against pro-choice ideology, the Philippines provides welcome news.
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  • Brendan Padellford

    That's awesome. Makes me want to move to the Philippines.

  • http://www.facebook.com/coriemoore Corie Moore

    This news is quite gratifying. I was worried that poverty and homelessness in the city would turn the tide towards genocide. I am proud of their decision to choose life and legacy and the preservation of the family. I believe that God was honored and glorified by the decision.

  • Joshua

    Except if it was legal to obtain an Abortion, no one would be forcing the mothers to do it against their will. If anything, it only frustrates those who want to obtain one and causes them to look for other ways to perform one. It doesn't benefit any of the mothers, it just prevents those who want to the option from having the option. Law and morality can't always mix.

  • Phil Marlin

    Joshua, abortion in the USA is legal and women are forced to have abortions all the time by their parents, boyfriends, husbands and then they end up suffering from the effects of their abortion for the rest of their lives. Yes there are many effects and they last a lifetime.

    Law and morality do mix in this case Joshua, it's called Natural Law: God's law, a law higher than man's law. And you can't get any more moral than that!

  • http://shfriends4life.webs.com Jessica

    Well said, Phil:-)

  • Amber

    This is awesome! I didn't know this about the Philippines. I have high respect for that country now.

  • http://www.mytruechoice.com Ceecee

    Good. Not only does this protect the babies, but women who don't want abortions will have a hook against those who want to pressure them into abortions. "I can't do that. It's illegal." She doesn't want an abortion anyway. Since it's illegal, she can end the issue there, and doesn't have to fight off a brow beating and endless peer pressure to abort.

  • SimonJM

    Nice that they jeep the overall ban, too bad though that they are inconsistent on rape.

  • SimonJM

    Keep :)

  • mary

    I saw the BBC video, and could not believe that this society band abortion but then also bans modern contraception. How are the couples supposed to plan their families?

  • ninek

    Mary, didn't anyone have that birds-and-bees talk with you? That should clue you in to how to plan a family. There is a certain multi-national multi-billion-dollar organization that thinks killing children is how you plan. I like to call it Planned Barrenhood, or even Klanned Barrenhood. Next time I want to build a school, I'll consult them because clearly, the way to plan for new students is to start killing the ones you don't want attending.

  • don

    I'm so sick of argument that you have to use contraception to plan a family. Sorry that people might have to exercise the slightest bit of self-control to use natural family planning. I know that in your mind Mary we should all just act like animals and pursue every single urge we get.

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  • Rodney

    This is awesome news. Good on you Phillipines! Isn't it sad that most countries women are willing to kill nowadays to indulge their lusts.

  • http://feterty.blogspot.com/ Nulono

    Brendan, you should stay here. The Philippines don't need you.

  • Victor

    wow. didn't think there were still troglodytes that believe that the right to choose is not a human right, but ,hey, I guess anythings possible. Prolifers kill more than they save. Since i still know of kids in orphanages and people who have more kids than they can support it looks like i don't see any prolifers picking up the slack and adopting all of gods unwanted and underfed children. everyday i watch rich christians dressed to the nines driving by orphanages and soup kitchens to go to church to think on a man who wouldn't be there and how they can be more like him. use the words of someone else to justify your bigotry and idiocy. Jesus was a nicer and smarter man than you idiots ever will be. go dictate someone elses body.

  • Victor

    to clarify, to this day, people linked to pro-life organizations have directly led to the deaths of 9 people and an untold number of people affected by their attempts to force people to keep children they aren't ready for. up your pigs.

  • Victor

    to again clarify. that was meant to read "Up yours, Pigs" substitute fascists if it suits you better.

  • Victor

    oh, and by the way. Unmarried sex is awesome.

  • Max

    Victor, should we kill all the children in Africa, because they are underfed and "unwanted?" Just because a baby is not wanted does not mean they have any less worth anyone else. And just beause their mothers don't want them does not mean that they are unwanted. We are all people and we all deserve life, no matter if others "want" us or not.

    And don't trash talk church-going Christians. You know nothing about them or their personal lives. Some of them may in fact have adopted children. You know nothing about them just because they pass by an orphanage on their way to church. They can't adopt a kid everyday! Besides, they're not the ones killing little children or having little chilren and throwing them in an orphanage* in the first place.

    *I totally think adoption is way way way better than abortion.

  • Max

    Mary, I guess their society beleives that having children is a blessing. Hmmm, Imagine that – people that actually value human life and the creation of human life. The poll said that most of them like having children. I think that that is a virtue not a vice. I am not against birth controll myself, but if they are, then they can ban it if they want. I guess they just have more self controll than Americans. And when they get pregnant after having sex, their not surprised. If they have sex, then they expect a baby may come. After all, isn't that what sex is supposed to do???

  • fisher

    Joshua, laws and morality DO mix. Every law is the government enforcing their chosen morality. Apart from moral reasons, is there really any reason why rape should be illegal? How about killing the elderly off? Yet, those things are illegal in civilized countries. How is killing a child any different?

    Since murderers are going to kill people anyway, perhaps we should make it safer and more legal for them to do so? Perhaps build medical centers for such a practice? I believe that Germany did that once. It didn't end well.

  • http://www.bedbugbooks.com Bedbug Books

    It's good to see that common sense prevailed in this instance. It's sickening that the pro-choice movement is so aggressive in pushing their agenda to destroy human life under the auspices of choice.

  • http://www.yoursacredcalling.com Stacy McDonald

    Joshua – there are other ways women are forced to have abortions. It's called manipulation and deception. Big $$$ is spent on marketing to teen girls and young women – encouraging promiscuity and presenting an "easy" (deadly) fix to the consequences.