Manila (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Women’s League "supports the Church" in the fight against "approval of the law on reproductive health." The announcement was made by the leaders of the women's movement, in a flier sent to all delegates in the archdioceses, dioceses, apostolic vicariates, and parishes in the country, guaranteeing "unconditional support" for the position of the bishops.

Amelita Dayrit-Go, president of the Catholic Women’s League, expresses her hope that these initiatives may "touch the hearts of lawmakers who intend to approve the law," and assures that "a delegation of activists" will be present at the parliamentary sessions during which approval of the law will be discussed. All of the circles of the movement have also "organized Masses and prayers" in every parish of the Philippines, to "promote respect for the dignity of human life."

Yesterday afternoon in Roxas, in the southern part of the country, a demonstration was held at which more than 4,000 people participated, most of them students. The march "for life" was organized by the local Catholic church; the demonstrators repeated their staunch opposition to a law that promotes the use of "artificial methods of contraception." For the occasion, a petition against the law has been started, signed by hundreds of people.

All of the Filipino bishops are united in fighting against the provisions under consideration in parliament, through pastoral letters distributed to every parish for the Sunday Masses. Romolo de La Cruz, bishop of Kidapawan, calls upon Bernardo F. Piñol Jr. - representative of the second district - "to vote against the law." "May you be courageous enough to prioritize God’s law over political and material considerations,” the bishop urges him.The prelate also says that he is "displeased" over the absence of Bernardo F. Piñol Jr. from the list of 62 lawmakers who have expressed their position against the law, but is comforted by the fact that he is also not "among the 26 who have guaranteed their support for the reproductive health law."