No funds for artificial birth control under my presidency — Gordon

Presidential aspirant Sen. Richard Gordon on Tuesday said he would not provide funds for artificial birth control methods should he win in the May 10 elections.

Gordon added that he would only spend money for condoms to prevent the rapid increase of HIV cases, but not for population control since it is up to the parents which birth control method they would like to use.

In ANC’s Presidential Debate on Health Care, the Bagumbayan standard bearer said that instead of spending on contraceptives, he would rather use the money to improve the country's educational system.

"This is a democracy. You don't even have to allow them, they can do it...the point is, are you going to spend money that would otherwise go [to] education?" he asked.

Gibo to fund both

In the same forum, administration party bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that he would fund both natural and artificial means of birth control.

Teodoro maintained that he advocates “a moral choice," saying that he is willing to fund whatever birth control method an individual chooses, but not abortion.

“We respect choices… (We should) allow Filipinos to make choices, and once the choice has been made, you support," he said.

Teodoro likewise said that the solution to population growth should be based on a “consensus" among stakeholders—such as the government, the Church and non-government organizations.

“We have to have a working dialogue and consensus, because the issue is very close to the heart. We must not stop on snags that prevent us from managing our population wisely," he said.

The forum was attended by some of the big names in the health sector, including Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral and former Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez.

Source: GMA News