Congress not rushing to pass RH bill — solon

NAVAL, Biliran, Philippines – Although it is considered still a priority, the House of Representatives is not rushing up the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill now pending with Congress.

Representative Rogelio “Roger” J. Espina (Lone District, Biliran), who chairs the House Committee on Population and Family Relations, said House members do not want to act on the controversial bill pending in his committee as they would want to listen to as many sectors as possible as regards their side of the proposed measure.

Espina said they had just concluded the holding of two public hearings in Congress, and the last one was before they went on break for the holiday.

During the public hearings he said, many actively participated in expressing either their opposition against or support of the pending RH bill.

Espina said there are six pending bills on Reproductive Health and one in the Senate and his committee wants a refinement of said bill which provides for a national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood, and population development.

“We want all the sectors to be heard,” said Espina “We want to give the pros and those against ample time to talk and deliver their views on the pending bill. I am happy about the active participation in the public hearings,” he said.

He said the bill will still undergo refinement by all members and a technical working committee and it will take time before it is deliberated and approved by the members of Congress during its plenary session next year.

The neophyte lawmaker, who is also a physician by profession, did not assure that this will continue to be a priority issue when Congress resumes their session next year.

For his part, Espina said he is for a responsible parenthood bill that is for the building of a good family as all of us “want to have a good family.”

He stressed that all sides will be given ample time to air their respective side “so that as soon as the bill is passed, the bill will be acceptable to all as this is for everyone’s benefit.

Espina said it is a mandate of the State to provide better health services to its constituents as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The Reproductive Health bill, popularly known as the RH bill, is a bill aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care.

The bill has become the center of a contentious national debate. Of the six bills presented with the same goals, the most prominent is the one proposed by Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay with Iloilo Rep. Janette L.Garin as one of the co-authors. –NESTOR L.ABREMATEA, Manila Bulletin