At one of the regular weekend "kapihan" press conferences, a naughty journalist pointedly asked one of the guests (a former senator still aspiring to return to that august body): "Mr. Senator, what is your stand on reproductive health?"

The reply, delivered in a booming stentorian tone fit for the halls of the Philippine Senate, was a masterpiece of empty hedging. The ex-senator said, "First of all, I would like to state categorically that I am against abortion. But," he added with serious indignation, "I am against threatening any politician with excommunication."

This almost nonsensical ambiguity, reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland" characters, probably characterizes the reproductive health positions of most Filipino politicians aspiring for national office. This in turn emboldens some of the conservative extremists in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to defy Vatican edicts to refrain from indulging in political interference. Even as the threat of excommunication was denied official sanction later, the message to politicians was clear - and, unfortunately for the poor majority of Filipinos who have to bear the burden of economic underdevelopment, heard loud and clear by opportunistic politicos used to talking from two sides of the mouth.

It is time for Filipinos who believe in health as a human right to stand up to bullying bishops who (often intentionally) have used medieval tactics to confuse the issue of reproductive rights. That Filipino couples should be allowed to exercise reproductive rights that will allow them to effectively discharge their duties as responsible parents is not in question, at least in the minds of the overwhelming majority who believe that all family planning options should be available to everyone especially the poor. This is the one and only perspective from which to view the proposal for a national reproductive health policy being crafted in the House of Representatives.

However much the Christian Taliban try to inject extraneous topics into the conversation, faith and morals and the views of the Catholic hierarchy are irrelevant in this debate. The politicians who believe that the State must provide all Filipinos full and adequate information and the entire range of appropriate services to space the interval between pregnancies and to limit the size of their families, are simply doing their duty if they advocate these measures through legislation. They should be allowed to do so without being threatened with hellfire and damnation.

Religious extremists have been able to link the provision of reproductive health services to a host of other irrelevant topics. Paranoia about homosexuality, promiscuity, divorce and abortion has allowed these zealots to muddle the discussions. Regrettably, they have been helped in creating this confusion by statements from the nation's chief demographer - the executive director of the Population Commission - who has allowed himself to be used for this purpose by the Catholic conservatives imposed on PopCom by the

The Commission, created for the purpose of supporting Filipino couples in the exercise of reproductive rights, has been rendered inutile by the administration's decision to promote only the so-called natural family planning methods favored by the extreme conservative factions of the Catholic hierarchy. This position is of dubious legality, with poor scientific basis, and without value or benefit to Filipino taxpayers who bear the cost of PopCom bureaucrats' salaries.

One week into this simmering controversy, the silence of politicians aspiring for high national office is deafening. The fact is that, just like the former senator quoted earlier, members of the Philippine Senate have avoided clear positions on this question. The two notable exceptions are Rodolfo Biazon and Panfilo Lacson. It is curious that both these gentlemen have military backgrounds. One explanation could be the fact that most rank and file soldiers come from poor families and their leaders are attuned to their difficulties in raising families on meager military incomes.

In the same way, within the Catholic hierarchy, prelates who are close to the rich and powerful and who are the recipients of their favors tend to have conservative views while priests and nuns who live and work among the poor have more liberal views particularly on the issue of reproductive health. The latter group sees first-hand the suffering of families with too many mouths to feed. The former know only too well the connection between power and wealth among their flock.

Sometime in the next few weeks, as discussions on family planning continue, advocates on both sides should press politicians for clear position on all related issues. It will very important that the poor who need reproductive health services the most are given the chance to voice their views to pressure those who picture themselves as being pro-poor.