The city government voted 18 to 4 to approve the Davao City Local Development Plan for Children despite a warning and an appeal from Archbishop Fernando Capalla. In a pastoral letter, Capalla warned the councilors that exerting moral pressure on their subordinates to adopt the LDPC "may create public scandal and thereby making themselves openly unworthy to receive the Sacraments."
The resolution to adopt the LDPC is authored by councilor Angela Librado who tried to combat the allegations made by the oppositors of the resolution led by religious groups. Capalla said LDPC is "dangerous and detrimental" because it is in the guise of reproductive health and safe pregnancy and it:
Librado however said she does not know where the Archbishop got his information because nowhere in the several pages of the resolution can she find the alleged matters. She said on the contrary, the resolution aims to promote better parental authority and guidance. The city council will by any means approve a resolution that promotes abortion and promiscuity.
Vice mayor Sara Duterte prevented all efforts to delay
voting on the resolution saying Capalla was invited during the committee hearings but he did not come and instead sent a representative so it could not be said that the church was not part of the consultation process.Duterte said the approval of the resolution just proved the separation of the church and state.
