MANILA, Philippines - Just days after Catholic bishops waged a battle with the government over birth control, another prelate urged local celebrities not to endorse condoms for the sake of the people who look up to them.

Angel Lagdameo, former Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Jaro archbishop, said television personalities should not be misled that condoms will prevent the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD).

As public figures, Lagdameo said celebrities have a responsibility to take care of the people's moral values. If they promote the use of condoms, he said these celebrities will become "accomplices in destroying morality in the society."

"We are discouraging celebrities not to appear in such advertisements because people look up to them as models," Lagdameo said in an article posted at the CBCP website.

"Condom is immoral and they [celebs] should not let themselves be used to promote it," he added.

The Department of Health (DOH) has come under fire from the CBCP for promoting condoms as part of its campaign against the spread of HIV and other STDs.

The agency recently distributed condoms to mark Valentine's Day, and is planning to tap the services of showbiz personalities to promote the use of condoms for safe sex.

A number of women activists and advocacy groups have expressed support for the DOH's campaign, saying that the distribution of condoms is beneficial to women's reproductive health.