Health care workers in the Philippines can refuse on conscience grounds to provide state–mandated contraception to patients, the nation’s bishops say.
And these workers may also refuse to refer a patient to anywhere else contraception may be obtained, the bishops said in a statement.
On July 9, the Philippines’ bishops’ conference issued what they called a “pastoral guide” for health care workers.
This came after rulings by the nation’s Supreme Court on aspects of the nation’s Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (2012).
Among the provisions of the act are guaranteed universal access to methods of contraception, fertility control, sex education, and maternal care
On July 1, the Philippines’ Supreme Court upheld an earlier ruling backing the constitutionality of the law.
But the court had previously struck out provisions allowing the government to make non-public hospitals refer patients to facilities offering reproductive health services.
A provision that allowed minors access to family planning services without parental consent in limited cases was also declared unconstitutional.
The Philippines’ bishops stated it is their “pastoral duty to pass the necessary information and instruction to our Catholics . . . so that they may know what their rights are under the law”.
“Obviously, Catholics should not, on moral grounds, seek employment in the very government agencies that promote artificial contraception,” the bishops noted.
“But if circumstances compelled them to be employed in such agencies . . . Catholics should be aware that they cannot be forced to promote, distribute or dispense artificial contraceptives against their religious or moral conviction.”
The bishops urged dioceses to educate Catholic health care workers by organising seminars.
When the law was on its way to becoming law, it was strongly opposed by the bishops because of its contraception provisions.
The Church had waged a 15-year battle to stop state-sanctioned family planning coming into force.
Sources
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News category: World.
