House will not rush passage of RH bill

The House of Representatives will not rush the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health bill, a lawmaker said on Wednesday, noting the need to thoroughly discuss the proposed legislation. “We cannot expedite the hearing because we want to hear all sides," Biliran Rep. Rogelio Espina told reporters in Filipino after the hearing of the committee on population and family relations, which he heads. “It’s hard to present the bill to the public without us discussing it thoroughly first," he added. He said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte did not instruct him to speed up the hearing. There are six bills on the issue pending in the committee. These are: - House Bill 96 filed by Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, - House Bill 101 filed by Rep. Janette Garin, - House Bill 513 filed by Reps. Kaka Bag-ao and Walden Bello, - House Bill 1160 filed by Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, - House Bill 1520 filed by Rep. Augusto Syjuco, -House Bill 3387 filed by Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan, Emmi de Jesus, Rafael Mariano, Teddy Casino, Neri Colmenares, and Antonio Tinio Raymond Palatino Espina could not say when the committee would be able to consolidate the bills and report it to the plenary for voting. “I cannot state when that time will be, considering that we have to hear the sides of each and every one," he said. Committee war At the start of Wednesday’s hearing, lawmakers questioned the referral of the bill to the population committee. Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia said the bill should be with the health committee as it seeks to provide reproductive health services. “Perhaps it is because they thought that the population issue is more defensible or less difficult to defend. The health provisions of the bill is not easy to defend, because even the World Health Organization classifies the contraceptives are carcinogenic. Why should we now say that this is principally a population bill rather than a reproductive health bill?" he said. He said Espina should consider hearing the bill jointly with the committees on health, women and poverty alleviation. “Why should we say now that the principal subject matter is population? The author of the bill and the bill itself says that the principal subject matter is reproductive health… This transfer of referral was premeditated," Garcia said. Health or population issue? Golez, author of House Bill 13 and a pro-life advocate, supported Garcia, saying the referral of the RH bill is crucial as it might affect the fate of the bill. “These are health issues, not a population issue. This is very crucial, there is fundamental implication on the correctness of the matter as we work on this," he said. Lagman said it was the committee on rules that decided to refer the RH bills to the population committee, which has “sole and exclusive" jurisdiction on the measures. He added it was very obvious that those questioning the panel’s jurisdiction are against the use of contraceptives like condoms as family planning methods. “This bill aims to ensure that people can choose free and responsible family planning suited to their needs and personal conviction which is a basic human right," Lagman said. Lagman said the bills aim to provide married couples the right to sustainable development and to lower the incidents of abortion. Espina, for his part, said no one objected when the RH bill was referred to his committee. He said he would refer the request to the House rules committee, which will decide on the matter. Name in vain During the hearing, Bello was warned against quoting religious leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI, in vain to defend his position on the bill. “We are very happy to witness, that the Pope has come around to our view with respect to certain issues such as the use of artificial means of contraception. My sources in the Vatican say that was specially intended for our session. I'm just kidding," Bello said after explaining his bill. This remark elicited laughter among the lawmakers and audience. Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing said they “should not abuse the parliamentary powers that we have by invoking the Vatican." “Let’s wait for him to clear up," he said, referring to Pope Benedict XVI. Golez supported Bagatsing’s manifestation. “I think we should be respectful of our religious leaders and not quote them in vain," he said. Bag-ao said the RH bill should be approved because lack of maternal healthcare causes death of many women in the country. “Do we allow this status quo even though many people are dying? A clear conscience does not demand blind faith. Distinguish facts from religious obscurity," she said. Two sides of the story Eric Manalang, president of Pro-life Philippines, is not convinced that the population is a problem that begs to be addressed, saying a population control would result to an aging population that will stagnate economic activity. “Zero population is zero production and zero consumption," he told the committee. Bishop Efraim Tendero, president of the Philippine Council on Evangelical Churches, said they support the RH bills because “it would protect life." “We believe the life begins at fertilization and we do not see contraceptives as abortifacient. Part of the mandate of the government is to protect and promote good life," he said. Prof. Ernesto Pena of the University of the Philippines School of Economics said the issue on when life begins is not a matter of faith but a matter of science and it remains unsettled among theologians. “A good family planning program will help the people live dignified lives," he said. Dindo Garciano, president of the Alliance for Family Foundation of the Philippines, said the RH policy would have a pernicious effect and would lead to a culture of sexual promiscuity. “The RH bill is a subsidy bill as it aims to subsidize the free distribution of condoms and contraceptives in the grassroots level. It is also a dole out in kind like the controversial conditional cash transfer program," he said. The departments of Health, Justice and Social Welfare and Development also sent their respective representatives to the hearing to express their support on RH bill. Other medical and religious organizations also sent representatives to present their take on the issue. Show of force Supporters of the RH bill and its oppositors such as members of different Church organizations trooped to the House as early as 9 a.m. Some members of the audience wore pins that say “I love Life," while others were seen praying the rosary while the hearing was ongoing Members of the Apostles of Mary, Catholic Youth League of the Philippines, Legion of Mary, Knights of our Lady went to the hearing carrying an image of St. Joseph, whom they said is the patron of the universal Church and patron and protector of the family. Renel Pena, a member of Apostles of Mary, said they joined a rosary crusade against RH bill because they believed it will usher in the total destruction of the moral and families in the country. After hearing the presentation of the advocates and supporters of the bill, Espina scheduled the next hearing on December 1, 9:30 am at the rooms 1 and 2 of the HOR’s Mitra building. - KBK, GMANews.TV