To be born or not to be born? : the paradox of the Catholic Church in the Philippines

Abstract

While I was in the Philippines in 2012 (the 3rd Catholic Country in the world), I observed the fight of “pro-life” community, leaded by the Catholic Church, against the Reproductive Health Bill. This Bill was described as a major change for the country, allowing and promoting contraception for all Filipinos. The Bill was voted and passed into law in December 2012. With this thesis, I am trying to see the real impact of this law. More than just analysing the law, this thesis is going further by regarding the real impact that a “pro-life” activism can have on a population in a developing country, especially the ones that they want to protect: children. By acting as a lobby against the right to contraception and abortion, is the Catholic Church really defending the supreme interest of the child? By using an interdisciplinary approach (employing law, sociology, psychology and political sociology), this thesis will prove that arguing against contraception is leading to an increase of poverty, itself leading to an increase of networks and so to child abuse, exploitation and trafficking. Also, lobbying against abortion puts life of women in danger, as they can be subject to many problems during pregnancy and they became stigmatised by the society and doctors. Finally, this thesis proves that “pro-life” community is more “pro-birth”, and protect the foetus more than the future child.