RH Bill: Its status in Congress

MANILA, Philippines - A good number of members of the House of Representatives remain "noncommittal" on the reproductive health (RH) bill because of the strong influence of the Catholic Church over their constituents, a member of a reproductive rights' advocate group said.

"The block of the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church are the only remaining opposition of the RH bill, but unfortunately they influence the political system because our politicians fear them," Ernesto Almocera Jr. of the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc., told philstar.com in an interview.

Almocera said that in the House of Representatives, more than 40 percent of its members are supportive of the bill and nearly 38 percent are against it. The remaining members or less than 20 percent, he said, are "undecided and noncommittal."

He said that the noncommittal congressmen are usually politically "unstable" and afraid of the pressure being exerted by the Catholic Church on lawmakers who support the bill.

"May takot rin talaga eh. Para sa kanila ay ano ang meron, kung ako ang simpleng politician, para bitbitin ang mabigat na laban ng RH. Parang better sa kanila ang manahimik at maging against kaya maging pro na hindi ka tatantanan," Almocera said.

He said that the Catholic Church intensified its campaign against the bill in the first three months of the year. The group expects Catholic bishops to double the intensity of their campaign in the second half of the year.

The House's consolidated version of the RH bill titled “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development and for Other Purposes” is being deliberated for second reading. It is scheduled for debate next week.

Almocera said that at least 55 congressmen, most of them are anti-RH bill, have expressed their intent to interpellate in next week's debate.

In the Senate, he said that at least 12 senators are supportive of the bill, "but in terms of power balance, the powerful members are against."

Almocera said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III are against the bill.

On Tuesday, Sotto asked fellow senators in his privilege speech to halt debates on RH bill and focus on the supposedly anomalous handling of the Department of Health's family planning program from 2008 to 2010.

Sotto alleged that the DOH mishandled the P423 million funds for the family planning program. He said several local government units, who were supposed to have been given allocations from the fund, complained that they did not receive a single centavo from the health department.

"Sana sa mga nag-o-oppose, magpakita naman ng statemanship and heed the call ng mga tao to pass the bill," Almocera urged senators opposed to the bill.

Good chance with P-Noy

Almocera, meanwhile, said that advocates of the bill are confident that President Benigno Aquino III's unwavering support for reproductive health will "inspire" legislators to pass a comprehensive family planning law.

"Better ang chance ng passage ng RH ngayon compared to last Congress because the President is supportive," he said.

He said that with President Aquino's influence over his allies in both chambers of Congress, the bill may get a strong majority support from the lawmakers.

"Good thing, good factor ang statements ni President Benigno Aquino because that will inspire our legislators to pass the bill," he added.

Leaders of the Catholic Church, who said RH bill promotes abortion through artificial contraception, have been trying to convince President Aquino to go against the bill.

In a statement posted on the official gazette of Malacañang, President Aquino issued his five-point position on responsible parenthood.

He said:

    * I am against abortion

    * I am in favor of giving couples the right to choose how best to manage their families so that in the end, their welfare and that of their children are best served

    * The State must respect each individual’s right to follow his or her conscience and religious convictions on matters and issues pertaining to the unity of the family and the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death

    * In a situation where couples, especially the poor and disadvantaged ones, are in no position to make an informed judgment, the State has the responsibility to so provide

    * In the range of options and information provided to couples, natural family planning and modern methods shall be presented as equally available