Manila, Philippines, Mar 4, 2010 / 02:05 am
The Catholic bishops of the Philippines, discussing efforts to reduce the spread of AIDS, have reiterated the importance of premarital chastity and spousal fidelity. They charged that condoms, promoted by a new government campaign, should carry warning labels because they create a false sense of security and encourage promiscuity.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) passed a resolution condemning the government program. The bishops also advocated a ban on condom advertisements in newspapers and magazines and on radio and television.
A CBCP statement written by Conference President Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar said that the Church has shown “love and compassion” towards those who suffer while holding that formation in “authentic sexual values” is the only effective way to curb the spread of AIDS.
“Given its high failure rate, the condom cannot really put a stop to AIDS,” the CBCP commented.