The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines will tackle next week the "academic concerns" involving the stand of some Ateneo de Manila University officials favoring the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.

CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the bishops will take up the matter during the CBCP's regular permanent council meeting in Manila September 4.

“We will talk about good approaches, solutions and the task of Catholic universities to seek the truth and of course to continue studying and working out hoping to come out possible solutions to many concerns from the academic and also related points of view,” Palma said in an article posted late Tuesday on the CBCP news site.

The issue involved the support expressed by 159 professors of Ateneo de Manila University for the passage of the RH bill.

Philippine Catholic Church officials are vocal in opposing the RH bill due to its provisions allowing artificial contraception. The Church favors only natural family planning.

Palma said they "should be guided by the light of truth or by the light of faith," adding that "is the mission of the Church.”

Palma also said they are willing to resolve issues and hold a dialogue with the pro-RH bill Ateneo professors.

“For me, there’s really a need for a sincere dialogue because the professors, I think [they] must be motivated by their desire to discover what is good,” he said.

“They are part of the Catholic university and they should obey the mission and vision and not contradict the teachings,” he added.

But he also hailed the "sincerity" of the Ateneo school administration and the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in supporting the CBCP’s stand against the RH bill.

“They are both sincere in saying that they are with us together with the Catholic Church when they said that they are with us,” he said.

Also, Palma said he hopes Ateneo will continue to uphold the Church’s teachings in molding its students. — LBG, GMA News