NEWSFLASH

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ROSANNA'S ANTI-AIDS AD DRAWS CHURCH IRE

Manila, Nov. 12, 1998 -A lot of hype, mostly positive, has preceded the soon-to-be aired TV commercials featuring sexy actress Rosanna Roces endorsing "sexual responsibility." The Catholic Church added a new, albeit negative, twist to the issue yesterday when officials opposed the promo without even seeing a copy of it.

William Lorenzo, representative of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines - Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said the ads may encourage the young crowd into early sexual activities.

Lorenzo said the commercials may indirectly relay a message tot he married and live-in couples that sexual activities outside marriage are safe provide they use contraceptive devices.

While admitting that he based his reaction on articles about the AD without really seeing the ad itself, Lorenzo said ads of this nature more often than not convey promiscuity. The CBCP's objection , he clarified, is against the ad and not personally directed at Rosanna Roces.

In response to the ads, the bishops' group is issued a memorandum to all Catholic schools to reiterate to the youth the evils of contraceptive devices, especially condoms.

"The propaganda that promotes condom use and the promotion of non-penetrative sex supposedly as a measure to prevent AIDS only lead to promiscuity, more pre-marital and extra-marital sex, an increase in the prevalence of venereal disease and increase of sexual crimes and out-of-wedlock pregnancies," the memo said.

Rosanna's Reproductive Health commercials start airing this week.