A Filipino health worker shows condoms that are given for free to the public by the Department of Health in Manila, Philippines, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. A human rights watchdog says the Philippines is facing one of the fastest growing epidemics of HIV in the Asia Pacific, fueled by government policies that restrict intervention, including access to condoms by men who have sex with men. (Photoby AARON FAVILA/AP)
Update
Two more senators聽 were cold to聽 the plan of the Department of Health to聽 distribute condoms in schools as they聽 pushed for sex education rather than encourage聽 underage聽 students to engage in sex.
鈥淧ara sa akin, hindi maganda e.聽 Parang pag distribute mo ng condom parang sinabi mo na: 鈥極,聽OK lang kayong makipag sex (For me, it鈥檚 not good. It鈥檚 like when you distribute condoms you鈥檙e telling them It鈥檚 OK to have sex). It鈥檚 a sin,鈥澛燬enator Manny Pacquiao聽 said on聽 Tuesday.
鈥淎lam mo yung (sex),聽 adultery, immorality, yan ang ayaw聽na ayaw ng Pangioon (You know sex, adultery, immorality are frowned on by God).聽That鈥檚 detestable in God鈥檚 eyes,鈥澛� added Pacquiao.
Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, would rather take the side聽of caution rather than exposed children to promiscuity.
鈥淚 think that they聽should be also aware of the reality but you know聽children can be promiscuous,鈥� Poe said in a separate interview.
鈥淚 really think聽education is very聽 important. It鈥檚 not to impose our own beliefs on that but to聽guarantee聽also聽their health, well-being, and safety,鈥澛� she聽 added.
Poe also believes that the use聽 of condoms聽 should also be made available to women聽but it should not be imposed on them.
鈥淚t鈥檚聽 about聽 choice鈥indi dapat ipilit pero dapat available kung gusto nila (It should not be compulsory but should be accessible),鈥澛� she said.
Aside from Pacquiao and Poe, Senate Majority Leader Vicente 鈥淭ito鈥� Sotto聽 III has been vocal against the聽 DOH鈥檚 planned distribution of condoms to high school students.
Plan also worries Robredo
Poe鈥檚 fears over DOH鈥檚 condom distribution plan were echoed by Vice President Leni Robredo.
While she supports the administration鈥檚 family planning policy and believes that the government should extensively search for solutions regarding the population increase, the objective of DOH in giving out condoms may do good, or may not.
鈥淧wede siyang maging mabuti kung bahagi siya ng mas malaking programa na ineeducate mo ng tao bago mo binibigay. Pero ang akin iyong for the sake na makapagbigay lang, delikado iyon. Delikado in a sense na baka nagpo-promote tayo ng kultura ng promiscuity,鈥� she said in an interview in Cebu City.
(It can be good if it is part of a bigger program to educate the person before you give these out. But for me, if it is just for the sake of just giving out, that is dangerous. It is dangerous in a sense that we might be promoting the culture of promiscuity.)
Robredo said that the distribution of condoms should be a part of a bigger or more comprehensive program in the implementation of the reproductive health law.
鈥淢as education na parang freedom of informed choice dapat. Ito ang dapat na sundan, hindi iyong basta lang mamimigay,鈥� she added.
(It should be intended for education, with freedom of informed choice. This should be followed, not just distributing condoms.)
The DOH on Tuesday said that it will push through with its plan to distribute condoms in schools despite criticisms from different groups, including the Catholic Church.
READ: DOH to 鈥榩ursue but won鈥檛 rush鈥� condoms distribution in schools
The agency said that distribution of condoms will help educate the students on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes the dreaded Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), especially now that cases of HIV and AIDS in the country are increasing. /ac