The new bill comes after a United Nations panel voiced “serious” concern in a report released on 30 October about the Philippines’ high rate of infant mortality and inadequate information about contraception. For the UN panel, not approving the Reproductive Health would violate the rights of women and children; thus, it urges decision-makers to do all they can to have the bill adopted.

The report views religion as the main obstacle to the generalised use of contraceptives (condoms, abortion pill and OUD), which are seen as the main tool to prevent young mothers from undergoing illegal abortions (about 400,000 a year).

“Unwanted pregnancies cause illegal abortions, that’s a fact," Mgr Clemente Ignacio said, “but are we now supposed to promote contraceptives? Contraceptives will produce more abortions.”

For the prelate, contraceptives create a false sense of security and lead to more sex, which is the main cause of abortions, because as “more people engage in selfish sex acts, the more” they “produce unwanted pregnancies,” and thus the whole problem remains unsolved.

Congress has been debating the Reproductive Health bill for the past four years but has failed so far to reach the 120 votes necessary for its approval, partly because of the opposition of Catholic members of Congress, and Filipino President Gloria Arroyo, who has always been opposed to family planning and abortion.

The proposed law rejects direct abortion, but promotes family planning. It would allow couples to have up to two children, but would impose fines and even prison sentences on violators.

The programme would make contraceptives as well as condoms available in all schools and public places. They are banned under current rules. It also promotes voluntary sterilisation.

All this is meant to reduce the country’s high birth rate, deemed the main reason for the country’s backwardness.