BALANGA CITY – Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos voiced strong opposition to the Reproductive Health Bill in his homily during a mass held after a prayer-rally here Saturday afternoon.
“Nagmartsa tayo na handang mainitan, mapawisan at mapagod upang ipakita sa buong bansa na tayo sa Bataan ay lalabang muli at haharap upang tutulan at hadlangan ang RH Bill No. 96,” said the bishop of the Diocese of Balanga which has jurisdiction over Catholics from 11 towns and one city in the province.
The protest action with the theme “March of Love, March for Life” was organized by the Diocese of Balanga and the city government headed by Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III.
The bishop cited three reasons why the Church opposes the bill. First, the RH Bill is against the commandments of God; second, it runs counter to the teachings of the Church and third, it is against the country’s Constitution.
The mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod shared the same view with the bishop.
Garcia said that the state has also the responsibility to protect the life of a mother as well as the baby in her womb.
“Ang RH Bill ay sisira sa pamilyang Pilipino at laban sa Saligang-Batas,” Garcia stressed.
Fr. Jhun Villanueva gave insights and delivered some lectures on the campaign against the RH Bill. He said there are a few reasons on the so-called separation of the church and the state. “
“Kung buhay ang nakataya, hindi isyu ang separation of church and state sapagka’t walang partido tulad ng Nacionalista o Liberal Party sa buhay,” the priest said.
“You cannot be a Catholic if you are for the RH Bill,” Villanueva said.
Participants in the rally gathered in three separate points. Those from the First District started their march at the Four-lane Road in barangay Tuyo, Balanga City while those from the Second District in the Flaming Sword in Pilar town.
When the two big groups met near the St. Joseph Cathedral, another group from the city joined them, filling the spacious Plaza Mayor de Balanga up to the rafters and the surrounding major thoroughfares.
Priests and nuns joined the march. Church bells started ringing as the rally got near the St. Joseph Cathedral. Participants carried various sizes of placards and streamers against the RH Bill.
After the mass, representatives for non-governmental organizations, government agencies, LGUs, youth and women sectors signed a covenant against the Bill pending in Congress. The mayor handed the copy of the covenant to the bishop.
Garcia also presented an ordinance passed by seven Sangguniang Barangay of the city titled “Ordinansa Para sa Kaligtasan at Proteksyon ng Sanggol sa Sinapupunan.”
Thumb-marking of city officials, Congressman Albert Garcia, priests and other rallyists at a big board under the letters S, A, V, E for Save Lives as symbolic action against the RH Bill concluded the mass action.
“Nagmartsa tayo na handang mainitan, mapawisan at mapagod upang ipakita sa buong bansa na tayo sa Bataan ay lalabang muli at haharap upang tutulan at hadlangan ang RH Bill No. 96,” said the bishop of the Diocese of Balanga which has jurisdiction over Catholics from 11 towns and one city in the province.
The protest action with the theme “March of Love, March for Life” was organized by the Diocese of Balanga and the city government headed by Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III.
The bishop cited three reasons why the Church opposes the bill. First, the RH Bill is against the commandments of God; second, it runs counter to the teachings of the Church and third, it is against the country’s Constitution.
The mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod shared the same view with the bishop.
Garcia said that the state has also the responsibility to protect the life of a mother as well as the baby in her womb.
“Ang RH Bill ay sisira sa pamilyang Pilipino at laban sa Saligang-Batas,” Garcia stressed.
Fr. Jhun Villanueva gave insights and delivered some lectures on the campaign against the RH Bill. He said there are a few reasons on the so-called separation of the church and the state. “
“Kung buhay ang nakataya, hindi isyu ang separation of church and state sapagka’t walang partido tulad ng Nacionalista o Liberal Party sa buhay,” the priest said.
“You cannot be a Catholic if you are for the RH Bill,” Villanueva said.
Participants in the rally gathered in three separate points. Those from the First District started their march at the Four-lane Road in barangay Tuyo, Balanga City while those from the Second District in the Flaming Sword in Pilar town.
When the two big groups met near the St. Joseph Cathedral, another group from the city joined them, filling the spacious Plaza Mayor de Balanga up to the rafters and the surrounding major thoroughfares.
Priests and nuns joined the march. Church bells started ringing as the rally got near the St. Joseph Cathedral. Participants carried various sizes of placards and streamers against the RH Bill.
After the mass, representatives for non-governmental organizations, government agencies, LGUs, youth and women sectors signed a covenant against the Bill pending in Congress. The mayor handed the copy of the covenant to the bishop.
Garcia also presented an ordinance passed by seven Sangguniang Barangay of the city titled “Ordinansa Para sa Kaligtasan at Proteksyon ng Sanggol sa Sinapupunan.”
Thumb-marking of city officials, Congressman Albert Garcia, priests and other rallyists at a big board under the letters S, A, V, E for Save Lives as symbolic action against the RH Bill concluded the mass action.
