The Philippine Online Chronicles

Administration party standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. has spoken in support of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, who has been under fire by some leaders from the Catholic Church for the Department of Health (DOH)’s distribution of condoms as part of its Human Immunodeficiency Virus- Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) awareness campaign.

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon have called for Cabral’s resignation, saying the distribution of condoms was "immoral" and would promote promiscuity and perhaps an increase in HIV-AIDS cases.

“I do not agree with this,” said Teodoro on the radio program "Ikaw Na Ba?: The Presidential Interviews" aired over radio dzBB. “Secretary Cabral is one of the most persevering and transparent secretaries in the Cabinet.”

He added that he supported the Health Department’s "ABC Campaign" against HIV-AIDS, which includes "abstinence" from sex, "being faithful" to one’s sexual partner and "Condom use." According to Teodoro, the use of contraceptives is a private matter between patients and physicians.

“I am in favor of this program. It is up to Secretary Cabral to execute. When it comes to AIDS, we should be strict about physician-patient regulates. This has to remain private," he said.

Cabral has also replied to the criticisms of the condom distribution program, saying, “While it is very important for us to find out what [the Catholic bishops] think, to cooperate with them in areas where we can be cooperating, the government is the government and must do what it thinks is right for everybody.”

Cabral added that the use of contraceptives like condoms “could…reduce remarkably the spread of HIV-AIDS in the Philippines.”

According to DOH statistics, HIV-AIDS is a fast-growing problem.

“From an incidence of one person diagnosed every day as having HIV-AIDS two or three years ago, last year we were diagnosing two persons [with] HIV-AIDS every day,” she said.