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BY TIFFANY ANNE TAN
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BACOLOD City – The Catholic Church lamented the Department of Health’s (DOH) plan to give out condoms in schools.
DOH secretary Paulyn Ubial had said the distribution of condoms to school clinics aims to avert the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“As the Church, we are saddened by the government’s measure to counter the rise in HIV cases by resorting to the use of condoms,” said Father Felix Pasquin, social communications head of the Diocese of Bacolod.
Pasquin, also the rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral, called on families to “return to and appreciate once more family religious values.”
Instead of distributing condoms, “how about for government, schools and communities joining the Church, renewal groups and civic clubs in promoting an environment [with] a healthy appreciation of sex?” he said.
Sex should be seen “as God’s gift, and hence sacred,” said Pasquin.
In Thailand, where condom use is “massively promoted,” HIV remains on a steady rise, so it “could not justify its promotion,” he claimed.
Earlier the National Youth Commission was pushing for a lower minimum age for immediate access to reproductive health (RH) services — including the provision of condoms — and HIV testing.
Chair Aiza Seguerra believes this will protect the youth from teenage pregnancy and HIV.
Right now children under 18 “still have to get parental authority or consent to access RH (services) and get tested for HIV,” Seguerra said./PN
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