Catholic groups to march against “anti-family bills”

Roman Catholic groups will march and conduct a prayer rally against anti-family bills filed in Congress this Saturday.

The first group will converge at the Plaza Independencia and will march towards the Pilgrim Center of the Basilica del Santo Niño.

This group will be composed of the members of the Archdiocesan Service Committee, the Catholic Charismatic communities, Council of the Laity, Family Life Apostolate, as well as delegates from the different parishes headed by their respective parish priests.

The second group, which will be composed of the youth from Catholic schools, the campus ministries, and participants from related organizations, will converge at the gate of the regional office of the Department of Health along Osmeña Boulevard, and will walk to the Pilgrim Center from there.

Individuals or family participants are also encouraged to join the second group.

These groups will march against House Bill 3773 or the Integrated Reproductive Health and Population Reduction, which limits the number of siblings into two and the introduction of classroom-based sex education.

Protesters tag the measure as the “mother of all anti-life bills in 2005.”

They are also against HB 634 or the Anti-Discriminatory Bill which seeks the recognition of same-sex marital union.

They are also against HB 4016 or the Act seeking legalization of divorce in the Philippines as it “weakens the bond of the family and ignores the adverse effects of divorce on children as well as its social costs.”

While the march is ongoing, an information campaign tackling said anti-family bills will be conducted at the Pilgrim Center.

The activity will be undertaken by the Archdiocesan service committee and Human Life International under the guidance of Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, according to the “Bag-ong Lungsoranon”, the weekly publication of the Cebu Archdiocese. —  Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV