Church works triple time in lobby vs RH bill

MANILA, Philippines - With less than a week to go before Congress resumes session next week, the Catholic Church has tripled lobby efforts against the reproductive health (RH) bill. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Church leaders are now more "aggressive" in "influencing" lawmakers to go against the RH bill. "This (recess) is definitely helping us. In fact, the bishops are doing a lot of things during this time," said CBCP spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III in an article posted Tuesday on the CBCP website. "Actually we are working not only double time, but triple time. Our signature campaign is still moving, same with our pro-life DVDs. Even the focus of the homilies in parishes every Sunday is about life which was not being done before," he added. Quitorio said the prelates have taken advantage of the recess in wooing members of the House of Representatives to reject the measure. But he could not say how many legislators are already on their side against the RH bill, which the Church said seeks to promote the artificial means of family planning. "We don't have the exact data yet due to their session break, but our advocacy still continues," he said. He added they will get an idea "probably on November 15 or 16." He said the lobbying involves mainly explaining the Church position against the RH bill, particularly to pro-RH lawmakers, before sessions in Congress resume Nov. 10. - GMANews.TV