‘Noynoy’ firm on support for Reproductive Health Bill

NEWLY minted presidential poll leader Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd reiterated his support for the Reproductive Health Bill, despite the risk of losing the backing of influential Catholic Church leader Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

“The state has no right to tell families how they want to plan their family, but it has an obligation to be of help to parents in raising their children,” Aquino said in an interview.

Aquino, 49, was referring to reports that Cardinal Vidal was dismayed that he is a co-author of the “The Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill (House Bill No. 5043/ Senate Bill No. 3122).

“I am not in panic because of that. What causes me to panic is the possibility of such problem to endure if the RH bill won’t be in place,” he said.

The bill seeks to provide universal access to medically safe, legal, affordable and quality RH services, especially on women and children.

“The population problem affects the budget of the family, as well as the efficiency of government programs in education, housing and even creating jobs for our graduates,” Aquino pointed out in Filipino.

The RH bill, he stressed, is merely for educating and counseling families on how they can plan their families better, and not for abortion and taking over the involved families’ lives.

“I would love to meet with the leaders and members of the Church on this matter, so that I can inform them also of what the measure is about,” Aquino said, adding, “I am merely responding to my conscience.” — Llanesca T. Panti, Manila Times