Former President Fidel V. Ramos, former Prime Minister Cesar Virata and other icons of the country including philanthropists Washington Sycip, Loida Nicolas Lewis, Oscar Lopez and National Scientist Dr. Mercedes Concepcion are pleased over the inclusion of a Responsible Parenthood Bill as among the 12 priority measures of the Aquino administration. But they are still keeping track on what this bill is about.
Earlier, the group made a joint letter to President Aquino urging him to certify the Reproductive Health Bill as urgent. All are Eminent Persons of the Forum for Family Planning and Development (The Forum), an NGO based in UP Diliman. However, these respected individuals are concerned if the Responsible Parenthood Bill is the same as the RH Bill that they are advocating for all these years. “In some news items, they say that the RH Bill is the same as the RP Bill but there are also news items that say a new bill will be crafted. We are getting confused,” said Benjamin de Leon, President of Forum for FP and Development (The Forum). But de Leon said that for civil society organizations and individuals who are for RH, they’re primary concern is to make sure that the government does not compromise what CSOs are calling their “non-negotiables” including services to ensure women’s and infant’s survival from life threatening complications; family planning services and information on all safe, effective, legal methods to enable Filipinos to make informed decisions; budgetary support; age appropriate sexuality education to reduce teen pregnancy and sexuality transmitted infections; and an integrated approach to addressing reproductive health problems such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive tract cancers among others. “But for us, crafting another Responsible Parenthood bill will further delay the process at the expense of our people who are clamoring for the RH bill. ” de Leon said.
Aside from the letter to PNOY, the Forum and its partners from Catholics for RH are also sending a letter to all the Dioceses of the country to express the group’s position on the Reproductive Health Bill. It is the insistence of the Catholic Bishops and other anti-RH Catholic groups that the RH Bill promotes FP methods that are harmful and that legalizes abortion that prompted the Catholic group to express a dissenting view that favors the RH Bill. “We can not understand why they (Bishops) are against FP services that are legal, safe and already available in the market but only for those who can afford it. They are anti-poor and anti-women’s rights. We should make services available and allow people to make the decision.” De Leon added.-30- Chi Laigo Vallido, THE FORUM.
