Put RH bill to a vote, advocates dare Congress

Leaders of groups pushing for reproductive health reforms have challenged the Senate President and Speaker of the House to put the pending RH bills to a vote after Congress resumes session later this month.   “We’re asking Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte to allow both houses to proceed with the voting,” former Akbayan party-list Representative Risa Hontiveros said.   “If Sen. Enrile and Cong. Belmonte allowed the voting, we will win,” Dr. Junice L. Demeterio-Melgar, Executive Director of Likhaan said.   “We’re expecting at least a 70% margin,” Melgar claimed.   “Matagal ng napapanahon ang RH. Overdue na nga,” Hontiveros said. “We already have a critical mass in our constituency. When you have a critical mass, susunod na ang pagbabago.”   Unmet health care needs   Citing a family planning survey conducted in 2011, Melgar said unmeet needs for maternal care have increased by 20%.   “Our situation is a result of our lack of services,” she said. “As of today, the demand continually shows that family planning services in the Philippines is lacking, if not totally absent,” she added.   They said there was no progress in the past several years because of the influence of the Catholic church.   “Leaders were scared of the Church. We saw that in President Arroyo’s administration,” Melgar also said. “We are hoping that by now, the legislators, and the president have already realized that public health is deteriorating.” Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines media director Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III denies any form of “bullying”.   He explained that women’s healthcare and abortion are two different things.   “With or without the RH Bill, dapat andiyan yan [healthcare]. The government should take care of that,” Quitorio said.   “Hindi naman kami tumututol sa pagbibigay ng health care. Kung health care lang, mauuna pa kami,” he added.   “Kung walang hospital, may mamatay talaga, with or without the RH bill,” Quitorio said. — ELR, GMA News