RH bill authors propose 10 amendments

MANILA, Philippines – The principal authors of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill have proposed at least 10 major amendments to the controversial measure in a bid to soften opposition to it and ensure its final approval in the House of Representatives in the coming weeks.

The House last week ended debates on House Bill 4244 or “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act” and is now in the period of amendments.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the bill, said the amendments would be made “to address and accommodate the concerns, reservations and objections” of some lawmakers and critics.

He said the changes would include proposals Malacañang recommended to the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. said the amendments could be described as “softening the language” of the bill, “so that those who are vacillating could be swayed to decide in favor of RH bill.”

One of the amendments put forward by the authors is the deletion of the entire Section 20 on Ideal Family Size to end criticisms that the RH bill imposes a two-child policy similar to China’s one-child policy.

The deletion is also in line with President Aquino’s opinion that ideal family size is only a norm and is not mandatory, compulsory or punitive.

Section 10 on Family Planning Supplies as Essential Medicine is also removed to address the objection of some lawmakers to the classification of contraceptives as essential medicine.

Section 16 on Mandatory Age Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education will also be amended. As suggested by the President, RH and sex education should start from Grade 6, instead of Grade 5, and that teaching values formation should be “with due regard to religious affiliation” as suggested by the President.

At the Senate, Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III accused foreign and local organizations as well as prominent personalities of having sinister motives in pushing for the approval of the RH bill, including setting the stage for the legalization of abortion in the country.

In the second part of his turno en contra presentation against the RH bill, Sotto cited a long list of foreign and local organizations that have reportedly been working quietly but actively for the passage of the controversial measure.

According to Sotto, most of these organizations “are of doubtful character” and have been peddling false data and information about maternal deaths and other issues related to the RH bill in an attempt to drum up support for the bill from legislators and the public. –-Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) with Marvin Sy