Playboy Philippines draws flak from Church

MANILA, Philippines - The new version of Playboy which will be distributed in the country drew flak Thursday from members of the Catholic church hierarchy who warned that it might have adverse effects on a nation already beset by moral problems. “We have more than enough problems now to take care of and now we have to deal with another moral problem?" said Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, media director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). At present, Quitorio said that the country is already saddled by the graft and corruption issues including the expose’ made by Engineer Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr regarding the botched $329.48 million national broadband network project. Aside from the NBN scandal, Quitorio said the country is also facing a looming food security problem. While admitting that he has not yet seen a copy of the Playboy Philippines edition which was launched on Wednesday night, the CBCP spokesman noted that if might erode the people's “moral stature" if it is allowed to be published and distributed in the country. “Whatever is its contents, if it would destroy the moral stature of the people, it should not be permitted here," Quitorio said in a telephone interview. He also urged the concerned government agencies to act immediately. “Kung makakasira ito ng moral stature, dapat pakialaman na ito ng ating government," he added. Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo shared Quitorio’s view. “We are already a lost generation,"he said. And allowing these type of pornographic materials to thrive will further “add to the degeneration of our sexual culture". He said pornographic materials are already available in reading materials and in the Internet. “It would add to our sexual pervasiveness," he lamented. The CBCP had earlier denounced the proliferation of pornographic materials in all parts of the country. It has also aired calls for the banning of these materials. The group initiated in July last year the formation of an ad-hoc committee to address the influx of pornographic materials featuring minors in sex acts. The committee is also tasked to lead advocacy campaigns within the Church and the media against the evils of child pornography. - GMANews.TV