Senate RH bill's provision on abortion amended

MANILA, Philippines – The controversial provision on abortion in the Senate's version of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill has been deleted as the period of amendments started Wednesday night.

In the first series of the committee amendments, RH bill co-sponsor Senator Pia Cayetano, said that the phrase "Population and Development" in the measure's title has been deleted and replaced with "Responsible Parenthood."

Senate Bill No. 2865's amended title is "An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood."

Cayetano started the period of amendments after Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III wrapped up his controversial four-part "turno en contra" speech on the bill.

To allay fears the RH bill will promote abortion, Cayetano deleted lines paragraph (i) of Section 3 which states: “While this Act does not amend the penal law on abortion, the government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.”

”In lieu thereof, insert a new subsection (j), which shall read as follows: (J) Abortion is a criminal act in accordance with existing laws,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano also inserted a new subsection which reads as follows: “All complications arising from pregnancy, labor, and delivery shall be treated in a humane and compassionate manner.”

”Filipinos are known to espouse a culture of kindness and empathy. We uphold the tradition of reaching out and extending genuine care and concern for our countrymen in need, more so for women who are pregnant and in need of special care,” she said.

The lady senator also changed the title of Section 6 of the bill from “Provision of Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care” to “Health Care Facilities” where the local government units shall ensure the upgrading of the hospitals and other related facilities with adequate personnel.

President Benigno S. Aquino III said in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July that he is hoping that the “Responsible Parenthood” measure would finally solve the backlog in the country’s public school system.

The bill aims to construct at least one public or private hospital or four health facilities for every 500,000 population.

In response to critics that the RH bill promotes contraceptives as essential medicines, Cayetano amended the title of Section 9, deleting the “as essential medicines.”

”Thus, the title of Section 9 as amended shall now read as follows: “Section 9. The Philippine Drug National Formulary System and Family Planning Supplies,” Cayetano said.

In the same Section 9, Cayetano also inserted the sentence: “The Philippine National Drug Formulary System (PNDFS) shall be observed selecting drugs, including family supplies, that will be included or removed from the essential drugs list (EDL) in accordance with existing practice.”

In Section 16, Cayetano also inserted the phrase “education and information materials to be developed and disseminated for this purpose shall be reviewed regularly to ensure their effectiveness and relevance.”

Aside from Cayetano, other senators who have already expressed interest to introduce amendments to the proposed bill are Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III.

Both Enrile and Sotto openly expressed opposition to the passage of the bill which they said aims to control the population of the country.

Sotto stressed in his "turno en contra" speech that the country needs to create another law that would protect maternal health, saying there are already 23 laws, administrative orders and presidential decrees that address the reproductive health concerns, specifically among women and their children.

Recently, Senator Panfilo Lacson said at least 14 senators will support the RH bill, one of the priority measures of the Aquino administration. - PNA