The Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD) expresses gratitude to the leadership and members of Congress for swiftly moving forward the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the first year of the 15th Congress. PLCPD also congratulates President Aquino for standing firm on his responsible parenthood principle that further encouraged House of Reps and Senate to debate the RH bill at the plenary level.
PLCPD, a non-government organization of lawmakers, leading proponent of House Bill 4244 or the “Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011,” and its Senate counterpart commends RH champions and authors who, despite the heightened misinformation and name-calling campaign thrown at them by some bishops and Catholic church’ leaders, stood firm on their support for the bill.
Being among the core of the legislative advocacy campaign for the passage of the bill, PLCPD has been a witness on how pro-RH lawmakers remained strong and tireless in sponsoring and defending the bill during Congress sessions, public and media forums. PLCPD admits that battle for the passage of the bill is never easy.
In retrospect, the RH bill has reached the most positive momentum in the 1st Regular Session in the 15th Congress. It is in this Congress that the RH bill has gained the most number of supporters coming from all sectors – business, academe, youth, women, labor, development agencies, non-government organizations, civil society groups, government agencies, local government units, media organizations and individual persons – living some leaders of the Catholic Church in isolation.
It is also during this Congress, where the debate on the measure has become part of the public discourse, thus RH became part of the daily conversation among ordinary citizens. PLCPD is thankful to the media, especially those who have organized debates in various forms, which made the public understand that in truth and in reality, RH bill is more pro-life, more pro-family, as opposed to the claim of the anti-RH group.
PLCPD and other RH advocates are also thankful to President Noynoy Aquino for standing pat on his support for RH, despite the threats coming from certain Catholic bishops. Making his pro-RH stand public inspired Congress to put the bill in the realm of public debate.
With the broad public clamor, sustained media backing and the support coming from Congress leadership and from the President himself, the indications are clear that the time to pass the RH bill has come, and that time is in the 2nd Regular Session of the 15th Congress. -30- Vigie Benosa-Llorin, PLCPD Media Advocacy Officer
