MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino effectively accepted the P1-billion cut in funding for the Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood Law by not vetoing it when he signed the 2016 budget last Dec. 22.
In his veto message to the House of Representatives, where the budget originated, Aquino struck down only three provisions of the spending measure and placed several other parts under conditional veto or implementation.
The reduction in RH funding was not among parts of the budget directly vetoed or placed under conditional veto by Aquino.
Struck down were special provisions included by Congress in the budget bill, which allow the use of income by the Department of Transportation and Communications-Office of the Secretary, National Bureau of Investigation and Energy Regulatory Commission.