A Filipino Youth Perspective: Why Stop The Free Condoms?
Conservative religious groups hold so much power over which policies are made in regards to women’s health in the Philippines. Current women’s health policies do not solve realistic problems. Instead, they only cater to conservative ideologies that a majority of people may not adhere to but are forced to abide by. After the Catholic Church’s condemnation of DOH’s condom campaign, they proceeded to create such uproar on public condom ads and demanded that they all be banned. In doing so, the Catholic Church attempted to infringe on our right to educate ourselves and ALSO our freedom of speech. Where does it stop?
On March 8, the world will be celebrating International Woman’s Day. It is a day that recognizes gender equality and condemns violence against women. However, sometimes the gravest violations of women’s rights do not have to be so blatant and massive. It can be subtle and silent.
Women in the Philippines are stigmatized for being HIV positive. Young women are judged when they buy condoms from the stores. They are not given proper education on how to plan their families or to prevent sexually transmitted illnesses.
The Philippines may be taking a step forward in addressing the current HIV/AIDS issue but due to the ever increasing power of conservative policymakers, the Philippines is also taking two steps back. Any chance for progress in women’s health or controlling the rise in HIV/AIDS rates sadly disappears.
Distributing free condoms only on Valentine’s Day is not enough. A comprehensive and continual campaign for educating people on safe sex should be present, which should include free access to contraceptives. For conservative groups to say condom campaigns encourage licentiousness is unfair because it does not exactly tackle the reality of the problem, which are people are having unprotected sex NOW.
Realistically speaking, demanding that people abstain from sex cannot really happen. Regardless of what conservative groups may believe, people will make their own choices. The best thing governments and institutions can do is educate people so they can make the right choice for themselves, which means campaigning on abstinence, being faithful in relationships, AND condom use (ABC) equally.
For the HIV/AIDS issue in the Philippines to finally get some media attention now is ridiculous. It is an issue that DESERVES to be at the forefront all the time. It is unfair to prevent young people from educating themselves and others on safe sex. Most of all, it is unfair to create health policies that do not address the real problems in our society. All of the progress the Philippine has made to modernize and become a developed country will not matter if people are not equipped with tools to make the right decisions about their health.