Politics
Monday March 13, 2006
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Philippines President Acknowledges Pro-Life Archbishop is Her Advisor
By Gudrun Schultz
SAN FERNANDO, Philippines, March 13, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has come out with a strong pro-family statement assuring the Catholic bishops of her opposition to abortion or divorce laws.
Speaking to Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, the chair of the Catholic Bishops conference of the Philippines, at a mass celebrating his 69th birthday last week, she pledged her support for families.
“We are taking measures to strengthen the Filipino family. Perhaps this will be the best birthday gift I can offer you,” she said, reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
This was President Arroyo’s first public acknowledgement that Archbishop Aniceto has been an important adviser to her in deciding the population policy of the government.
She said she first consulted him about population and family issues in 2001. She sought his advice before choosing a secretary to head the Department of Health, and her presentation on the Philippine population policy that she presented to the United Nations’ interfaith dialog and general assembly in September 2005 was also “inspired” by his advice, she said.
“I will affirm…I should declare that a strong family makes for a strong republic,” she said to the assembly of 3,000 Catholics.
Archbishop Aniceto told reporters that during his 10-minute closed-door meeting with the President, she said to him, “As a Catholic, I will never approve of any bill [such as on] abortion or divorce.”
Philippines’ bishops have been engaged in a fierce culture war against efforts to bring in population control measures in the country. House Bill No. 3773, on population management, would encourage couples to limit their family size to two children and promote the use of contraception, among other anti-life policies.
Philippines Bishops Institute Mandatory Pro-Life Course Without Which Sacraments Denied
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