Duterte: Use pills, injectables — not condoms

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 14) — Use pills and injectables instead of condoms, President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday night.

Addressing workers who came home from Kuwait, Duterte digressed a bit from discussing their plight and expressed his preferred contraceptive.

"May pills libre. Huwag 'yang condom kasi hindi masarap 'yang condom [Pills are free. Don't use condoms because they don't feel good]," Duterte said to laughter from the audience.

He even mimed eating a piece of candy with a wrapper.

"Kainin mo 'to. Huwag mong balatan... Iyan ang condom [Eat this. Don't unwrap it... It's like a condom]," he quipped.

While contraceptives for women may help address the spike in population, it does not address the rising numbers of human immunovirus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases. The Department of Health reported over 11,000 HIV cases in 2017 alone, and over 42,000 cases between 2012 and 2017.

Pills and injectables are hormonal contraceptives for women, which can prevent conception.

The President made the statement after commenting on the state of population.

"Ang Pilipino, walang alam 'yan basta — " Duterte mimed gun action — "110 million kaya mahirap ang buhay. Kasi kung sana na medyo 50 million lang tayo, ma-manage natin 'yung pagkain. Enough for all, tapos may trabaho."

[Translation: Filipinos don't know anything else but (mimes gun action) — 110 million, which is why life is hard. If we were just 50 million, we could manage food. (There will be) enough for all, and everyone would have jobs.]

Other reproductive health options include implants, a tiny rod inserted into the upper arm that prevents conception for three years, and the intrauterine device (IUD), which is inserted in the uterus and can work for around 10 years.

Distribution of contraceptives in government clinics resumed after the Supreme Court lifted its temporary restraining order on implant distribution last year. It also prevented the renewal of license of other contraceptives.

Different contraceptives work for different women depending on lifestyles and traits. For example, while women living in remote might fare better with injectables, implants, or IUDs, women allergic to copper should avoid them.

Duterte also dismissed Church critics of contraceptives.

"Huwag kayong maniwala masyado sa relihiyon ninyo kasi 'yan rin ang isang hadlang eh [Don't believe in religion too much, because it can also be a barrier]," he said.