RH law to take effect this week

MANILA, Philippines - The controversial Reproductive Health Law is set to take effect this week after President Benigno Aquino III signed the measure last Dec. 21.

In a radio interview on Monday, Senator Franklin Drilon said the law will take effect even without implementing rules and regulations (IRR) because there are provisions in the measure which no longer need IRR.

"IRR is only necessary if the law is unclear or if there are gaps that need to be filled," Drilon said.

Last Jan. 2, lawyer James Imbong, son of Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines legal counsel Jo Imbong, filed before the Supreme Court a petition for certiorari and injuction against the implementation of the law.

The younger Imbong said the RH Law is unconstitutional.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who sponsored the law, said the petition is premature because it seeks to stop the implementation of something which is not yet effective.

He said he is confident that the RH law “will surmount any attack or test on its constitutionality” and that relevant provisions in the Constitution were studied during its legislation.

Malacañang, through Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, said the government is prepared to defend the measure upon the order of the high court.

Central to the RH law is th provision of access to safe, legal, affordable, non-abortifacient, effective and high-quality reproductive health care services to Filipinos.