Mindanao: Church-State agreement on family planning
by Santosh Digal
The Catholic Women’s League and local Department of Health have reached an agreement about natural family planning methods to be applied in the region. The Archbishop of Cagayan has expressed his satisfaction.

Cagayan de Oro (AsiaNews) – An accord on family planning signed by the Catholic Women’s League and Mindanao’s Department of Health has been hailed as “historic” because it raises the need for population control without making a dent in Christian morals.

 

This is the view of the director of the regional Population Commission, Dr Paler, about the accord signed to promote natural family planning in the country’s southern archipelago.

 

The agreement covers five accepted types of planning and binds parties to share financial, material human and technical resources to enforce the methods stipulated.

 

The department and the league have also agreed to formulate a regional plan and to create a team of volunteers from both organizations to help people who have problems with the methods.

 

The archbishop of Cagayan, Mgr Ledesma, said: “The Church recognizes the needs of a couple for family planning. Christian parents should understand that having a child means they must be responsible parents and this also entails planning one’s family.

 

Ethelyn Nieto, department undersecretary, expressed “congratulations for the agreement reached, a dream come true.”