New group launched for RH Bill

CEBU, Philippines - With a new movement launched, a former health secretary and other supporters of the Reproductive Health Bill believe this would be an additional “pressure” for Congress to pass the bill.

Yesterday in Cebu City, the Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH), along with Department of Health (DOH) former secretary Alberto Romualdez, launched the Kalihukan sa Katawhan alang sa Kahimsog (KKK) or People’s Movement for Health.

“This will help put pressure on our individual members of the Congress, although things are going well,” Romualdez said.

Orlando Carvajal, former president of the Philippine Federation of Married Catholic Priests, announced KKK’s three missions.

These are to continue to lobby for the government to fulfill its responsibilities for the people’s health, to intensify education programs, and to expand the movement to include all Filipinos in government, civil and religious societies.

In their numerous gatherings, Carvajal said, they realized that there are structural issues in the Philippine health care delivery system that need to be addressed.

“Like, among others, health care financing, adequate health infrastructures and health human resource development tailored to the needs of the country and not merely for labor export,” Carvajal said.

He said this is aside from direct health services like family planning, nutrition, breastfeeding, prevention of abortion and management of its complications, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and the elimination of gender-based violence.

“If the Bill is not passed, we shall continue to lobby for a similar bill in the next Congress until we shall have a law that truly addresses the genuine health needs of the people, the KKK said.

C4RH said majority of Filipino Catholics or 68 percent across the country agree that there should be a law requiring government to distribute legal contraceptives such as pills, IUD, and condoms. 71% are in favor of the RH Bill, while only 8% are not in favor.

Even in specific areas, the group claimed, such as the Province of Cebu, Parañaque City and Manila, the majority of Filipino Catholics also support the adoption of a policy on reproductive health and family planning.

Gabriela – Cebu, National Confederation of Barangay Health Workers, Bisdak Pride, Inc., National Union of Students of the Philippines – Cebu, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Gabriela Women’s Party and the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community were among the panelists yesterday.

Their co-supporters wore T-shirt that bore slogans: “I am a Catholic and I support the right to Reproductive Health” and “I am not promiscuous.” (FREEMAN)