Birth control advocates march to bishops’ office

WOMEN’s rights groups and cause-oriented organizations marched to the office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to highlight their support for the reproductive health bill.

“We do expect you to care as fellow Filipinos who preach about love, especially love for the poor,” a letter for the bishops said. “We expect that although all of you are men, you have learned empathy and affection from your mothers, your sisters, and your women friends,” it added.

The marchers include members of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), Partido ng Manggagawa, and other activist organizations.

The groups call the Church’s attention to the mothers who die every year from maternal complications that could be prevented by reproductive health education and services.

“We hope that the bishops can feel our pain, and that they will appreciate the full value of women’s lives,” said Dr. Junice Melgar, executive director of Likhaan Center for Women’s Health and secretary-general of RHAN.

Report from abs-cbnNews.com