Anti-RH bill organizations meet, strengthen campaign

CEBU, Philippines - With the 15th congress nearly ending, leaders of different organizations fighting against the controversial Reproductive Health bill gathered yesterday to discuss on strengthening the campaign against the passage of the bill.

More than 300 pro-life leaders all over the country, who attended the 6th National “Philippines for life” Leaders Congress yesterday at Summit Circle Hotel, Cebu, highlighted the pressing concerns of the bill which is currently being pushed by its authors to be tackled in congress and the senate.

Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, country president of Human Life International and the lead organizer of the event, said that the presence of the leaders is solid proof that they are united to represent the people and the majority in  the Senate or Congress who are against the bill.

Bullecer stressed that if this bill will be implemented, it will result into a greater impact with regards to the growth rate, total fertility rate and a lot more which is why they are strongly fighting against it.

“We don’t fight for RH Bill because we are Catholics, Christians or because of moral issues but in fact because of Demography,” Bullecer said, adding that the ill-effects of contraception whether pills, ligation, vasectomy, that are provisions of the RH bill are anti-health since studies show that it leads to diseases like cancer.

According to Bullecer, they cannot blame or condemn the Pro-RH Bill organizations because majority of them did not dig deeper to the real aspects of the bill.

Further, they encouraged Filipinos that in the coming elections, citizens should vote  for candidates who promote life and health.

On their end, RH bill advocate Risa Hontiveros said that they are optimistic the bill would advance by the end of this year or prior to the campaign and election period.

Hontiveros, who was in Cebu yesterday for some speaking engagements, said that despite the dilatory tactics of some members in the congress and senate who are against the bill, they will strongly push for the bill to be tackled and voted upon before the 15th congress ends by June next year.

Hontiveros admitted that they do have a challenge, and that is to get the discussion through the two houses without being barred by representatives and senators against the bill.

The other day, Hontiveros said that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile literally blocked the proposal of RH bill co-sponsor Senator Pia Cayetano to have the bill at least discussed for 30 minutes.

Enrile, during the session, said that he too had a pending bill for 10 years which he wanted to be tackled. He said he never complained that it has not advanced into a discussion, which Cayetano should follow. Enrile added that he is not ready for the bill to be brought to discussion.

However, Hontiveros said the delaying tactics of some legislators and senators will not stop them from pushing for the bill especially that this is the farthest the concern has ever reached since it was proposed years back.

She said that anti-RH bill senators and representatives in Congress should not be using delaying tactics if they are really confident that the bill would not be approved.

“Kung talagang confident sila, pag botohan na nila. Yes or no man, at least this would be decided once and for all. (If they are really confident, they should vote…),” Hontiveros said.

Those against the bill have been earlier quoted that they are also confident since they will have more votes but Hontiveros said that both parties may have included in counting those who are still undecided.   (FREEMAN)