February is pro-life month. It is also the month for lovers, as Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of this month.

Filipino-American poet-pundit Fred Burce Bunao calls abortion the Great American Holocaust. Bunao says the Holocaust during World War II that resulted in the deaths of more than six-million Jews is nothing if compared with this American Holocaust. It has been estimated than more than 35-million fetuses were aborted since the United States Supreme Court gave the thumbs up to abortion in the Roe v. Wade case. Yes, abortion is hurting the fabric of American society. It polarizes also the division between those who believe in the sanctity of life and the women who think that they can do anything they please with their bodies.

Abortion is also becoming a Holocaust in the Philippines. Did you know that there are at least 500,000 abortions per year being done in the Philippines? Not counted here are those that are considered "chemical abortions," which refer to taking pills the morning after contact. Not included too are the abortions through “herbal” remedies such as the "damung makabuhay" sold at the side of the Quiapo Church in the City of Manila. There are also countless abortions being done by the “hilot” (local equivalent of the Certified Nursing Assistant or midwife).

How can the American people and the Filipinos, majority of whom are Christians, in particular the “Pro Choice” supporters, celebrate Valentine’s Day? And yet permit the slaughter – not only during the month of love but also year round – of millions of other babies under the legalized medical procedure called abortion? The number of aborted fetuses certainly dwarfs the number of victims killed in combat between the Philippine military and the rebels, whether of the Muslim faith or of the communist ideology. Each day the number of aborted fetuses in America alone is far greater than the daily casualties in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas of conflict in the world combined.

Yes, Valentine’s Day in the 21st century is different from the traditional lovers’ day. Yes, it has become a culture of consumerism, materialism and the outrageous practices of liberalism.

Here are some examples of liberalism in the greatest country the world has ever known:

• Then President Bill Clinton signed into law legislation that created sanctuaries for hundreds of chimpanzees subjected to years of biomedical research. The White House said some research would be permitted in the sanctuaries, as long as the chimpanzees are not harmed. Animal-rights groups welcomed the new law. Why can’t the White House sponsor legislation that will also create a sanctuary for the millions of fetuses? Fetuses that can be brought into this world as human beings if only they were not aborted?

• The United States Fish and Wildlife Service said, “The economic effects of designating more than 5-million acres in California as federal habitat for the red-legged frog would not require changes to most development projects except in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.” Environmental groups sued the Fish and Wildlife Service to force creation of a habitat for the red-legged frog. Under the Federal Endangered Species Act, the frog, federally listed as threatened, must have habitat designated for protection of the species. How come human fetuses are not included in the Endangered Species Act?

Perhaps by Valentine’s Day 2005 the White House will announce that the President will sign into law legislation that will create sanctuaries for millions of babies saved from abortion. Perhaps by next year the Federal Government will include human fetuses as subject also to the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Maybe the United States, the Philippines and the entire world will treat inhumanity to the unborn and the generations yet to come as a practice in violation of the spirit of Valentine’s.

So if you know anybody who is contemplating on having an abortion, help her. Your local church usually can offer alternatives (such as adoption or by keeping the baby). There are many ways of helping save a life. Better still, ask her to contact a Pregnancy Crisis Center of Pro-life organizations.