‘Don’t argue with Church, lobby for LGU ordinances’

Published by rudy Date posted on November 25, 2010

AURORA GOV TO RH ALLIES:

BALER, Aurora—Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, one of the original supporters of the reproductive health (RH) bill when she served as Aurora representative, said advocates, instead of arguing with Church leaders, should lobby for ordinances in local governments to promote RH rights and family planning.

“I never took a confrontational stance against the Church. But we want to tell the Church that the bill is not about abortion because abortion is a crime,” she said.

The Church and prolife groups have opposed the passage of House Bill No. 96 (the proposed Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2010) filed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, saying it promotes the use of contraceptives that are considered to induce abortion.

Castillo, who co-authored HB 8110 (The Integrated Population and Development Act of 1999) and authored HB 4110 (proposed Reproductive Health Care Act of 2002), said “localizing” the RH bill was a good strategy to ensure that the measure’s objectives would reach the grassroots.

Not about religion

“We should not deepen the conflict with the Catholic Church because its leaders would not change their position on the bill.

“But the RH bill is not about religion; the bills pending in Congress are not going against the [teachings] of the Church. The bills are actually prolife legislation,” Castillo said.

She said HB 4110 sought to promote the giving of accurate information on reproductive health to couples and individuals and to provide access to safe, affordable and quality reproductive health care services.

She said the bill also sought to provide services for the prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications and the elimination of violence against women, among others.

Castillo said if local governments passed their own versions of these RH measures, foreign funding agencies, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), could come in and help implement the projects.

In July 2005, a year after she ended her three terms in Congress as representative of Aurora, Castillo led provincial officials in crafting and passing a provincial ordinance on reproductive health, family planning and responsible parenthood.

Political will

Among the ordinance’s features are the holding of information drives on reproductive health, training of barangay health workers and distribution of contraceptives in the province.

The information campaign included lectures on responsible parenthood, birth spacing and nutrition programs in relation to sustaining a healthy family.

Castillo said lawmakers who supported the RH bill should not waver and must have a strong political will to fight for its passage. –Desiree Caluza, Inquirer Northern Luzon, Philippine Daily Inquirer

July 2025

Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

July


3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 Ju
ly – International Plastic Bag Free Day
 
5 July –
World Youth Skills Day 
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day 
17 July – World Day for
International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons 


Monthly Observances:

Schools Safety Month

Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month

Weekly Observances:

Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week

 

Daily Observances:

First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.