Multi-Sectoral Groups in Cebu to Support RH Bill

PIA Press Release
2008/11/25

Multi-sectoral groups in Cebu to support RH Bill 5043

Cebu City (25 November) -- An information campaign to deepen the understanding of the public and showcase the support of various multi-sectoral groups in Cebu on the importance of passing House Bill 5043 is slated tomorrow in a scheduled press conference in Cebu City.

Rep. Edcel Lagman, who is pushing for the immediate passage of the proposed bill will discuss the salient points of the bill and its status in Congress.

HB 5043 is otherwise known as "An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and for Other Purposes", or "The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008."

A highlight of tomorrow's activity will be the presentation of respective positions and statement of support for the proposed RH and Population Development Bills by Rev. Danny Maing, senior pastor of the Mandaue City Alliance Church and the Interfaith Partnership for Responsible Parenthood, Rev. Orlando Carvajal, president of the Philippine Federation of Married Priests and Francis Monera, Board of Trustees of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The bill has received flak from the Catholic religious hierarchy as it firmly stood pat on its position that the bill is anti-life which is against the principle of the church on pro-life, this is learned.

In keeping with their policy on pro-life, Church leaders are not advocating for artificial birth control and instead advocate the use of natural family planning in population control management.

HB 5043 is the Substitute Bill that consolidates the four Bills on Reproductive Health originally proposed by various authors in the 14th Congress. These 4 Bills are HB 17 authored by Rep. Edcel Lagman (An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and for Other Purposes), HB 812 by Rep. Janette Garin (An Act Providing for Reproductive Health Care Structures and Appropriating Funds Therefor), HB 2753 by Rep. Narciso Santiago III (An Act to Protect the Right of the People to Information About Reproductive Health Care Services) and HB 3970 by Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel (An Act Providing for Reproductive Health Care Structures and Appropriating Funds Therefore).

Tomorrow's activity is organized by the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD) as it pushes for relevant human development policies in both Houses of Congress.

One of the PLCPD's banner advocacies is the Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill as it currently conducts a series of media events in various provinces nationwide to intensify public support on the bill. (PIA-Cebu/FCR) [top]