Cabral supporters rally in front of DOH

Monday, 01 March 2010 02:45 AM Fidelis Angela Tan

A rally in support of Department of Health (DOH) secretary Esperanza Cabral was scheduled for today at 10am in front of the Health Department’s office in Manila. Women’s groups, HIV-AIDS patients and other non-government organizations (NGOs) were set to attend to show support for the DOH’s HIV-AIDS awareness program that includes the distribution of condoms.

Cabral was heavily criticized by some leaders of the Catholic Church, who said that the distribution of contraceptives was "immoral." Lipa City Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes also called for Cabral’s resignation, saying that the distribution of contraceptives would give rise to promiscuity and further spreading of HIV-AIDS.

“We are glad that Secretary Cabral and her department remain steadfast in implementing programs that should have been conducted by the government long ago despite the pressures and threats thrown at her by some leaders of the Catholic Church,” said the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) in a statement.

The PLCPD were also set to give away free condoms during the rally.

Other groups expected to attend are the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), Health Action and Information Network (HAIN), Forum for Family Planning and Development (FORUM), Linangan ng mga Kababaihan (LIKHAAN), Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) and the Philippine NGO Council (PNGOC).

“The activity aims to show broad and strong support of the reproductive health community to DoH Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral and the DOH in their HIV and AIDS public awareness campaign and disappointment over the intervention of some Catholic leaders and government officials on the campaign,” said a joint statement by the attending groups.

The DOH’s three-pronged HIV-AIDS awareness program encourages abstinence from sex, being faithful to one’s partner, and using condoms. The program aims to staunch the rise of HIV-AIDS cases, the reported number of which jumped from 199 in 2004 to 629 between 2007 and 2009.

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