PNoy, CBCP discuss environment, steer clear of RH law

President Aquino and members of the permanent council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) met Tuesday night to discuss “five important matters,” but the Reproductive Health (RH) Law wasn't one of them, a Palace official said Wednesday. “The environment, mostly mining and the National Greening Program was discussed, as well as good governance, transparency and accountability programs. [Also touched were] the Agrarian Reform program, the Conditional Cash Transfer program, as well as [the state of] Philhealth,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte told GMA News Online. Valte said that there was no mention of the controversial RH Law, which the Catholic Church strongly opposes. “No RH, it was not spoken about,” she said. Valte also confirmed that it was Malacañang who called the meeting, in response to the most recent CBCP pastoral letter. “Yes we were the ones who invited. It was planned. Cause they came out with a pastoral letter, and we wanted to be able to tell them what we have been doing,” Valte said. Bishop Jose Palma on January 28 released a pastoral letter on “Certain Social Issues of Today,”  discussing the problems of the nation. The bishops, along with ranking members of the Cabinet, had a nearly five-hour meeting with the president, Valte revealed. “It started 6:30 pm and ended little bit before 11 pm, so medyo mahaba din,” she said, adding that those in the meeting spoke candidly. “The mood daw was light, during the presentation [of the Cabinet,] and then after that the bishops raised their own sentiments. And majority of their sentiments were on environmental concerns,” Valte said. — BM, GMA News