Philippine court approves birth control law

MANILA: Philippines’ top court on Tuesday approved a deeply controversial birth control law.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was hailed by supporters as a triumph in the battle to ease crippling poverty, empower women and curtail a population explosion in the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people.
But the Catholic Church, which had led a bitter campaign against efforts to introduce any form of family planning laws, vowed to continue resisting what it termed an “unjust” law.
“The reproductive health law is not unconstitutional,” Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te told reporters as he announced the ruling, striking down more than a dozen petitions against the reproductive health law from church-backed groups.
The legislation requires government health centers to supply birth control pills, as well as mandating that sex education be taught in schools.
It also requires that public health workers receive family planning training, while medical care after an abortion will also be legalized. The Philippines is the only country where divorce remains illegal, and abortions are also outlawed.
“This monumental decision upholds the separation of church and state and affirms the supremacy of government in secular concerns,” legislator Edcel Lagman said.