'Soul Sisters' band for RH

MANILA, Philippines - Eight female lawmakers in favor of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill now pending in Congress banded together and launched a group called “Soul Sisters” at Club Filipino in San Juan City yesterday.

The group led by Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuango asked the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) not to judge and vilify them for supporting the measure, saying they are prioritizing the interest of poor women.

Cojuangco said they respect the authority of the bishops to speak about morality.

“Of course, they are entitled to talk about morality. But when it comes to our decision, it has to be for the good of the people. Most families want to plan their families. We must work for maternal care,” she said.

Gj and Maricel Jimenez

“We are compassionate and we are ready to fight for the protection of maternal health. I just want to remind my colleagues in Congress, we are here because we represent the people, not the Church. Let us not be afraid of the Church. We don’t represent the Church,” she added.

Cojuangco said it is high time to break the double standards in the country between rich and poor.

 “Why the rich people can buy contraceptives and walk in public freely. They go to church every day. The poor cannot buy contraceptives because they are reserving their money for their food. We should look at it compassionately,” said the lawmaker.

The moniker Soul Sisters was derived from the favorite song of Cojuangco, which has the line “Hey, soul sisters.”

Denise Gonzales and Monica Eleazar

Other members of the group advocating the RH bill are Reps. Josephine Lacson-Noel of Malabon City, Emily Aglipay of DIWA party-list, Sharon Garin of AAMBIS-OWA party-list, Janet Garin of Iloilo, Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Abigail Faye Ferriol, and Sandy Ocampo of Manila. 

 ‘Fight for life non-negotiable’

CBCP president and Tandag, Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo Odchimar yesterday said that even if Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma takes over the CBCP leadership in December, the Church would continue to oppose the RH bill, saying the fight for life is non-negotiable.

Odchimar, who presided over the Permanent Council meeting, said there are Church positions that are “non-negotiable.”

Sen. Vicente Sotto III, a known critic of the measure, went to the CBCP yesterday and met with the bishops.

The meeting discussed the progress of the Church’s crusade to stop the passage of the RH bill, which Church leaders believe would promote the use of abortifacient drugs.

During the meeting, the bishops avoided asking how many senators are in favor or against the measure.

“Some of the senators are putting their aces in their chests, meaning they are still undecided,” Odchimar said.

“The problem here is that most of the members of the Senate are still studying it (RH bill). They still want to hear what is behind it, they still want to learn more... that is why we cannot say that we should vote on the proposed bill now,” Sotto told the CBCP officials.

When asked what the bishops can do to help in the cause, Sotto said, “Well, nothing beats prayers.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Manuel Lapid Jr. yesterday expressed his desire to join the debates on the RH bill but may be too shy to do so.

Cristalle Belo Henares

According to Lapid, he also has some questions regarding the measure, particularly on birth defects and their relationship to artificial contraceptives.

 However, he said he is thinking twice about raising his concerns primarily because he is intimidated by one of the sponsors of the bill, the eloquent Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

“I want to interpellate. I am wondering why there are so many children with birth defects such as missing teeth, having only one arm or leg, I want to know if these were effects of artificial contraceptives,” he said in Filipino.

Lapid said he fears Santiago might not understand him completely because she is not so fluent in Filipino.

He said that he would be more comfortable interpellating Sen. Pia Cayetano. - With Evelyn Macairan, Marvin Sy