Noynoy urged not to retain Cabral as DOH chief

A senior Catholic church leader on Wednesday appealed to presidential front-runner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III not to retain Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral once he is proclaimed winner and assumes the presidency on June 30. "We are appealing to him (Aquino) to reconsider, since there are also other more efficient government officials that do not subscribe to her (Cabral's) way of thinking," said Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Family and Life. Cabral and the CBCP have been at loggerheads over the issue on the use of contraceptives, particularly condoms, which the CBCP opposes as it allegedly promote promiscuity among the youth. “We hope he'll appoint another person to the post," Castro added, reacting to an online petition calling for Cabral's retention. As of Wednesday afternoon, the page has gathered more than a thousand signatures. Cabral was not available for comment as of posting time as she was in a meeting. Aquino, who is in the process of selecting prospective members of his official family, has yet to decide on who will sit as his Health secretary. So far, those who have agreed to be members of Aquino’s Cabinet are lawyer Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa as executive secretary, Corazon "Dinky" Soliman as Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Teresita "Ding" Deles as presidential adviser on the peace process. Castro said they are saddened by moves pushing for Cabral's retention, criticizing the feisty Health secretary's pro-Reproductive Health bill stance. The Church early this year called for Cabral's resignation after her department distributed free condoms during Valentine's Day as part of its anti-HIV awareness program. “Secretary Cabral’s position and policy is very consistent with the RH Bill so if she’s retained she can effectively promote this contraceptive commotion regarding AIDS prevention and her very aggressive policy on condom use," Castro said. The proposed RH bill, or An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, has long been pending in Congress. The House of Representatives version proposes, among others, mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health education starting in Grade 5, and the purchase of contraceptives by state hospitals as part of its essential medicines and supplies. Before the May 10 elections, the Church urged the public to vote for candidates who are pro-life and family. “We don’t know the composition of Congress but we are hoping and praying that this campaign won’t push through. One thing is for sure, if Secretary Cabral is retained as DOH secretary she will continue with her ways," Castro added. — Sophia Dedace/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV