RH backers see bill passage in Congress' 2nd regular session

MANILA, Philippines - Supporters of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill yesterday expressed confidence that the measure will be passed in the second regular session of the 15th Congress that starts next month.

Ramon San Pascual, executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), lauded lawmakers “for swiftly moving forward the RH bill in the first session of the 15th Congress.”

“It is in this Congress that the RH bill has gained the most number of supporters coming from all sectors - business, academe, youth, women, labor, development agencies, non-government organizations, civil society groups, government agencies, local government units, media organizations and individual persons,” San Pascual said.

The PLCPD also praised President Aquino for supporting the bill.

“Making his pro-RH stand public inspired Congress to put the bill in the realm of public debate,” San Pascual said.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. earlier said the House targets to finish all interpellations on the bill by the end of the year.

A total of 38 congressmen lined up to question the authors of the RH bill during interpellations at the House.

In the Senate, Sen. Pia Cayetano had presented the committee report on its version of the bill to the plenary last week.

Senate Bill 2865 and House Bill 4244 seek to promote both natural and artificial birth control methods through government programs, and advocates sex education, among others. The bill is opposed by the Catholic Church and pro-life groups who believe it promotes birth control methods that are abortifacient.