Doctors for Life Targets Controversial Philippine RH Bill
A new organization of doctors from across the Philippines dedicated
to defending the sanctity of human life is targeting the “anti-life”
Reproductive Health (RH) bill currently under consideration by Filipino
lawmakers.
“Right now, Doctors for Life is active in the congressional hearings
on anti-life bills, especially the RH bill, and in giving talks on
related issues all over the country,” said Dr. Ligaya Acosta, a Doctors
for Life board member, and Regional Coordinator for Asia and Oceania at
Human Life International (HLI).
According to their mission statement, Doctors for Life’s primary
purpose is, “[T]o teach by presenting factual information about human
embryonic development, abortion, fetal vaccines and its moral
alternatives, birth control pills, euthanasia and related issues;
information which will allow the general public to make informed
decisions about these issues.”
Dr. Ligaya Acosta
“We declare that we are totally against contraception, sterilization,
abortion, human embryo-destructive research, human cloning, euthanasia,
assisted suicide, same-sex marriage, divorce and other offenses that
contradict life and the family,” the statement reads.
Twenty-five Filipino medical doctors and professionals holding
doctoral degrees in jurisprudence, philosophy, and theology formally
launched Doctors for life on June 17, 2011.
Dr. Acosta, along with many others, including the Philippines’ Catholic bishops, believes
that the RH bill will devastate the Filipino culture and family, and is
ultimately aimed at defining “governmental roles, relationships and
structures needed to fully implement the draconian population control
program that is being pushed so aggressively by Western elites.”
There is also concern about the bill’s effect on medical and business professionals.
“It has provisions to force medical professionals and businesses to
promote and perform a full range of “reproductive health services,”
regardless of conscientious objection,” said Dr. Acosta. “It promises to
fine and jail opponents who spread as-yet-undefined “malicious”
falsehoods about the bill.”
Doctors for Life was first conceived during discussions held at an HLI conference in Manila late last year.
“For a long time I have wanted to form a group like Doctors for
Life,” said Dr. Acosta. “After discussing the idea with colleagues, the
HLI 17th Asia-Pacific Congress on Faith, Life and Family became its
birthplace.”
Doctors for Life in the Philippines is not affiliated with any other
organization in other countries, but Dr. Acosta said plans are in place
to expanded the organization across Asia.
“Soon it will grow because there are many other pro-life
professionals who are interested in joining,” said Dr. Acosta. “We also
have plans to conduct a pro-life training program soon for all the
members and prospective members so that everyone will be fully
knowledgeable of the issues.”
DOCTORS FOR LIFE MISSION STATEMENT:
We, members of Doctors for Life (DFL), have come together to commit
ourselves to defend and promote the sanctity of human life from
conception to natural death.
DFL is a non-profit public service organization, composed of
professionals who hold doctoral degrees in fields that include, but are
necessarily not limited to, doctors of medicine, doctors of
jurisprudence, doctors of philosophy and doctors of theology.
Etymologically, the word “doctor” in Latin means “teacher” and is
derived from “docere” meaning “to teach.” Thus, DFL’s primary purpose
is to teach by presenting factual information about human embryonic
development, abortion, fetal vaccines and its moral alternatives, birth
control pills, euthanasia and related issues; information which will
allow the general public to make informed decisions about these issues.
We are bound together by a common commitment to protect human life by
collaborating with existing organizations that foster the sanctity of
human life, a culture of life, and respect towards those who hold
different beliefs.
Our cause is to support women as they carry their pregnancies to
their natural conclusion; and we support natural family planning, adult
stem cell or non-destructive embryonic research, natural death,
chastity, marriage between one man and one woman, and freedom of
conscience..
We declare that we are totally against contraception, sterilization,
abortion, human embryo-destructive research, human cloning, euthanasia,
assisted suicide, same-sex marriage, divorce and other offenses that
contradict life and the family.
Because all human beings regardless of their size, age or dependency
deserve full protection of the law, we promote and protect the human
rights of the unborn, the defenseless, the aged, the disadvantaged and
all persons.
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