The women called on the Catholic Church to ease its pressure on the government to adhere to only one method of family planning, adding that despite the separation between church and state, the CBCP remains an influential lobbying group in favor of only natural birth control, such as abstinence.
A representative from the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines told Quitorio that "family planning was a matter of life and death" for women workers. Yet, Monsignor says of the meeting, "I'd rather call it 'cordial listening' than a dialogue."
The groups presented Quitorio the various difficulties women and families face in choosing whether to follow the natural or artificial family planning methods. They insist they be allowed to make an informed choice.
Quitorio said that while the dialogue did not end with any "meeting points," it became an effective way of understanding and listening to each other.
"I told them that the Catholic Church has not closed itself to their opinions. In fact, the Catholic Church is the most open among all opinions. We will always listen," Quitorio said.
The Philippine government shuns away from artificial methods of family planning including the use of condoms, IUDs, and others to the dismay of the United Nations.
Quitorio met with representatives of the caravan from the Kilos Kabaro 2, Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, RHAN-Youth, the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development, and the TUCP.
The groups held the Women's Caravan that traveled from Quezon City to Manila as part of the celebrations for Women's Month.
