Belmonte to reach out to Church leaders after RH bill approval

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Tuesday said he will personally reach out to Roman Catholic Church officials after the chamber passed the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.   At a press briefing a day after the two houses of Congress passed the contentious bill, Belmonte said he wants to start the reconciliation process now that the House has made its decision on the RH bill.   “Without this issue around, I hope we will be able to have better relationships with the present hierarchy of the Church… Even now, in the course of the Christmas, syempre magbibigay-pugay din tayo sa kanila,” he said.   He added that he has open communication lines with some bishops, who actively opposed the RH bill when it was being deliberated upon by Congress.   “We have to go on with the business of serving the people… I don’t see any lasting acrimony between us and the Church,” Belmonte said.   On Monday night, both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the RH bill, which promotes both natural and artificial forms of birth control. Officials of the Roman Catholic Church, which advocates only natural family planning methods, led opposition to the measure.   Malacañang officials have already called for reconciliation between supporters and critics of the measure. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News