Pinoy elected head of Asian parliamentarians' group

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino was elected as the new head of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) in Bangkok, Thailand last week, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said yesterday.

Ramon San Pascual of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) was elected two days after Congress adjourned for the Lenten break without putting to a vote the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.

Lagman, chairman of PLCPD and deputy secretary-general of AFPPD, said San Pascual is the first Filipino to have been chosen to head the operations of an international non-government organization (NGO) pursuing legislation and policies on the direct linkage between population and sustainable human development as well as the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

“San Pascual is at the forefront of the campaign for the enactment of the reproductive health bill,” Lagman said.

He said Pascual’s election “would give additional impetus to the approval of the RH bill which has gained tremendous public support.”

There are 26 Asia-Pacific countries that are members of AFPPD, including Japan, China, India, Thailand, Indonesia Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.

The AFPPD, which was organized in 1981, is among the oldest NGOs on population and development.

The late Rafael Salas, a Filipino who was the first executive director of the United Nations Population Fund and served for 20 years, was instrumental in the formation of AFPPD, Lagman said.