The Quezon City Council submitted to Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. last Tuesday for final approval into law, a controversial ordinance which seeks to establish a local Population and Reproductive Health Management Policy to curb growing population in the city.
Council Majority Leader Ariel Inton said that the proposed ordinance that was approved in third and final reading was drafted after a series of consultations among various concerned sectors including the Catholic Church, which opposed the measure, which was authored by Councilor Joseph Juico.
“Every sector was consulted including the Church, this policy ordinance which provides no penal provision but will guarantee access to safe affordable and quality reproductive health care and series, methods and relevant information will give priority to the needs of women and children,” Inton told The STAR.
He said under the proposed measure the city government shall promote natural and artificial family planning methods that are deemed effective by the national and international authorities.
People will have access to relevant information and resources to enable them to make up their sound and responsible family planning decisions.
The proposed measure also promotes responsible parenthood, reproductive health rights, gender equity, reproductive health care, adolescent health education, sustainable development and population management. – Perseus Echeminada