‘Palace can’t impose will on approval of RH bill’

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday maintained it cannot impose its will on Congress on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, which has stirred controversy for allotting billions for contraceptives and family planning services.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said it would be up to Congress to decide on the measure, being an independent co-equal branch of government.

“While there are mechanisms in place by which one can convey its intentions or its priorities to the other – I’m talking about the LEDAC (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council) – we cannot impose our will on Congress because they are independent,” Valte said.

Malacañang would not set a timetable for the bill despite claims that time is running out for supporters of the measure.

“We recognize that it is up to them (Congress) when it comes to setting a timetable, how it will be passed, how long it will undergo the legislative mill,” Valte said.

“From where the President stands, we’ve already made our positions clear and we will leave it up to them,” she added.

Valte also refused to describe as “watered down” the proposed substitute bill, noting this has not been presented before the plenary.

“We’ll defer comment until a bill in a semi-final form comes to us. They (lawmakers) are still in the period of amendments,” Valte said.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the authors of the RH bill, previously said an amount of P3 billion is needed to implement the measure.

Critics questioned this, saying the amount would be better off allotted to livelihood and anti-poverty programs.

They also claimed the RH bill seeks to control the country’s population even if the economy is benefiting from robust human resources.

A Wall Street Journal article published last July said the Philippines would face economic risks if it implements a reproductive health policy.

The article said President Aquino’s promotion of the bill is “jarring” because it could eventually lead to “a demographic trap of too few workers.”