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Duterte’s Free Birth-Control Order Is Latest Skirmish With Catholic Church Duterte’s Free Birth-Control Order Is Latest Skirmish With Catholic Church
(about 17 hours later)
MANILA — When Lizel Torreras, 35, became pregnant with her third child, she mixed a tincture of bitter herbs and mahogany bark, a home remedy said to induce abortion. Her husband, who worked as a garbage scavenger, did not make enough money to buy a regular supply of birth control pills, much less raise another child.MANILA — When Lizel Torreras, 35, became pregnant with her third child, she mixed a tincture of bitter herbs and mahogany bark, a home remedy said to induce abortion. Her husband, who worked as a garbage scavenger, did not make enough money to buy a regular supply of birth control pills, much less raise another child.
“With just two kids, we were already struggling,” she said. “The children were going to have a hard time. We might not have been able to send them to school.”“With just two kids, we were already struggling,” she said. “The children were going to have a hard time. We might not have been able to send them to school.”
But after three attempts, Ms. Torreras, a churchgoing Catholic, could not bring herself to drink the potion.But after three attempts, Ms. Torreras, a churchgoing Catholic, could not bring herself to drink the potion.
Like millions of other women in the Philippines who have no access to contraception, Ms. Torreras had the baby. Then another one.Like millions of other women in the Philippines who have no access to contraception, Ms. Torreras had the baby. Then another one.
The Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, signed an executive order this month calling for the full and immediate enforcement of a 2012 law that would give six million women like Ms. Torreras free government-distributed contraception and reproductive health services.The Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, signed an executive order this month calling for the full and immediate enforcement of a 2012 law that would give six million women like Ms. Torreras free government-distributed contraception and reproductive health services.
Mr. Duterte portrayed the order as an antipoverty measure, with an official calling it “pro-life, pro-women, pro-children and pro-economic development.”Mr. Duterte portrayed the order as an antipoverty measure, with an official calling it “pro-life, pro-women, pro-children and pro-economic development.”
But the order was also Mr. Duterte’s latest jab at the Roman Catholic Church, which wields significant power in the Philippines and has fought for years to keep the law from taking effect.But the order was also Mr. Duterte’s latest jab at the Roman Catholic Church, which wields significant power in the Philippines and has fought for years to keep the law from taking effect.
Under the law, government agencies will provide modern family planning services, including free contraceptives and prenatal care to all women and families. The measure also mandates that sex education be taught in schools and that companies offer reproductive health services to their employees.Under the law, government agencies will provide modern family planning services, including free contraceptives and prenatal care to all women and families. The measure also mandates that sex education be taught in schools and that companies offer reproductive health services to their employees.
But the law, which took more than 13 years to be passed by Congress before being signed into law in 2012, has yet to fully take effect, a testament to the power of the Catholic Church, anti-contraception groups and allied lawmakers.But the law, which took more than 13 years to be passed by Congress before being signed into law in 2012, has yet to fully take effect, a testament to the power of the Catholic Church, anti-contraception groups and allied lawmakers.
The church and other contraception opponents filed petitions with the Supreme Court, which issued several rulings blocking parts of the law. The court continues to prevent the Health Department from procuring, distributing or selling birth control implants, a ban that women’s health groups fear could be extended to the pill and other forms of hormonal birth control when existing certifications expire in 2018.The church and other contraception opponents filed petitions with the Supreme Court, which issued several rulings blocking parts of the law. The court continues to prevent the Health Department from procuring, distributing or selling birth control implants, a ban that women’s health groups fear could be extended to the pill and other forms of hormonal birth control when existing certifications expire in 2018.
Last year, Congress cut the Health Department’s budget for contraceptives, citing the court order halting the distribution of implants. Local agencies have administered the law differently in different districts, and sex education in particular has varied widely by school district. This month, Vicente Sotto III, the Senate majority leader, vowed to stop the distribution of condoms in high schools, arguing that they encouraged promiscuity.Last year, Congress cut the Health Department’s budget for contraceptives, citing the court order halting the distribution of implants. Local agencies have administered the law differently in different districts, and sex education in particular has varied widely by school district. This month, Vicente Sotto III, the Senate majority leader, vowed to stop the distribution of condoms in high schools, arguing that they encouraged promiscuity.
The battle is not over, but Mr. Duterte’s order provides clear guidance to government agencies and local health officials that they should uphold the law, eliminating some of the ambiguity the various court decisions have caused. And while the church still opposes the law in principle, it has scaled back its public campaign against it. Two archbishops, in interviews, acknowledged defeat.The battle is not over, but Mr. Duterte’s order provides clear guidance to government agencies and local health officials that they should uphold the law, eliminating some of the ambiguity the various court decisions have caused. And while the church still opposes the law in principle, it has scaled back its public campaign against it. Two archbishops, in interviews, acknowledged defeat.
The Duterte administration says it can provide desperately needed services that are vital to lifting millions of people out of poverty. It estimates that there are six million women, two million of whom are poor, who do not have access to modern forms of contraception.The Duterte administration says it can provide desperately needed services that are vital to lifting millions of people out of poverty. It estimates that there are six million women, two million of whom are poor, who do not have access to modern forms of contraception.
Mr. Duterte’s order aims to achieve “zero unmet need for family planning” by 2018, helping to meet his goal of reducing the poverty rate to 14 percent by the end of his administration in 2022, down from the 2015 level of 21.6 percent.Mr. Duterte’s order aims to achieve “zero unmet need for family planning” by 2018, helping to meet his goal of reducing the poverty rate to 14 percent by the end of his administration in 2022, down from the 2015 level of 21.6 percent.
Sex education, advocates say, has been a failure. The Philippines is the only country in Asia where teenage pregnancy increased over the last two decades, according to the United Nations Population Fund.Sex education, advocates say, has been a failure. The Philippines is the only country in Asia where teenage pregnancy increased over the last two decades, according to the United Nations Population Fund.
“A lot of the existing education in the Philippines is abstinence only, and this contributes to teenage pregnancy,” said Hope Basiao-Abella, project coordinator for Likhaan, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to women’s health.“A lot of the existing education in the Philippines is abstinence only, and this contributes to teenage pregnancy,” said Hope Basiao-Abella, project coordinator for Likhaan, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to women’s health.
Stephanie, 15, is the kind of teenager Ms. Basiao-Abella has in mind. She has a 1-month-old daughter and says she did not know that sex could result in pregnancy. Stephanie Carmen, 15, is the kind of teenager Ms. Basiao-Abella has in mind. Ms. Carmen, who has a 1-month-old daughter, says she did not know that sex could result in pregnancy.
She has learned the hard way and says she will get an intrauterine device from Likhaan, which distributes free birth control using private funds and cooperation from the Health Department, as soon as she heals from the birth. She has learned the hard way, and says she will get an intrauterine device from Likhaan, which distributes free birth control using private funds and cooperation from the Health Department, as soon as she heals from the birth.
“I don’t want any more children,” she said. “It hurts too much.”“I don’t want any more children,” she said. “It hurts too much.”
Mr. Duterte’s executive order is not his first clash with the church in his seven months in office.Mr. Duterte’s executive order is not his first clash with the church in his seven months in office.
He has called the church “the most hypocritical institution,” accusing priests and bishops of graft, corruption and taking mistresses. He called Pope Francis a son of a whore (and later apologized), openly accused the church of pedophilia and claimed to have been sexually abused by a priest as a teenager.He has called the church “the most hypocritical institution,” accusing priests and bishops of graft, corruption and taking mistresses. He called Pope Francis a son of a whore (and later apologized), openly accused the church of pedophilia and claimed to have been sexually abused by a priest as a teenager.
And he has accused the church of doing nothing to combat drugs, which he sees as the country’s biggest problem.And he has accused the church of doing nothing to combat drugs, which he sees as the country’s biggest problem.
For its part, the church has opposed his push to reinstate the death penalty and has begun to publicly criticize his antidrug campaign, which has left more than 3,600 people dead.For its part, the church has opposed his push to reinstate the death penalty and has begun to publicly criticize his antidrug campaign, which has left more than 3,600 people dead.
“We will continue to oppose those because they are inhuman,” said Archbishop Ramón Argüelles of Lipa.“We will continue to oppose those because they are inhuman,” said Archbishop Ramón Argüelles of Lipa.
He added, of Mr. Duterte, “I think whether he knows it or not, whenever we do anything bad, you are the tool of the devil. If you bring harm to others, you are the devil’s tool.”He added, of Mr. Duterte, “I think whether he knows it or not, whenever we do anything bad, you are the tool of the devil. If you bring harm to others, you are the devil’s tool.”
Priests across the Philippines have urged citizens to speak out against the killings in the drug campaign. In the days before Christmas, the Redemptorist Church of Baclaran in Manila mounted a photo exhibition of its victims, blood-soaked corpses strewn in the streets and grieving families, aimed to prick a sense of outrage among churchgoers.Priests across the Philippines have urged citizens to speak out against the killings in the drug campaign. In the days before Christmas, the Redemptorist Church of Baclaran in Manila mounted a photo exhibition of its victims, blood-soaked corpses strewn in the streets and grieving families, aimed to prick a sense of outrage among churchgoers.
Fighting the church is not without risk. More than 80 percent of Filipinos identify as Catholic, and the church was instrumental in toppling two presidents, Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.Fighting the church is not without risk. More than 80 percent of Filipinos identify as Catholic, and the church was instrumental in toppling two presidents, Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.
But Mr. Duterte appears to be winning this fight. Rather than repelling Catholics with his sacrilegious outbursts, his willingness to confront the church has endeared him to Filipinos.But Mr. Duterte appears to be winning this fight. Rather than repelling Catholics with his sacrilegious outbursts, his willingness to confront the church has endeared him to Filipinos.
According to a pair of 2016 polls by Pulse Asia, 86 percent of Filipinos support government-supported reproductive health services, and 55 percent want the administration to prioritize programs to combat poverty.According to a pair of 2016 polls by Pulse Asia, 86 percent of Filipinos support government-supported reproductive health services, and 55 percent want the administration to prioritize programs to combat poverty.
While the church may have lost this battle, Archbishop Argüelles says Mr. Duterte has not won the war.While the church may have lost this battle, Archbishop Argüelles says Mr. Duterte has not won the war.
“He said he was going to destroy the church,” the archbishop said. “The only thing I can tell him is that Hitler tried to do that, Bismarck tried to do that, Napoleon tried to do that. The church is still there, all these people are gone.”“He said he was going to destroy the church,” the archbishop said. “The only thing I can tell him is that Hitler tried to do that, Bismarck tried to do that, Napoleon tried to do that. The church is still there, all these people are gone.”