UN official hails survey on RH bill

The country director for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Wednesday welcomed results of a recent survey that showed nearly seven of 10 Filipinos standing behind the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill pending before Congress.

Renaud Meyer said that the passage of the RH bill will even help the country achieve the No. 1 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing incidences of extreme poverty in the country.

The eight MDGs are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality rate; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environment sus-tainability; and develop a global partnership for development

They were laid out by 192 member-states of the United Nations and some 23 international organizations in September 2000.
The MDGs are set to be achieved by 2015.

“Congress is here to represent individuals, not lobby groups. The RH bill should be voted by seven out of 10 congressmen,” Meyer said, adding that even before the Pulse Asia survey was released, the UNDP had made rounds and received public commentaries that embraced the passage of the controversial measure.

He added that even in a predominantly Catholic nation such as the Philippines, the people have opened their yes to benefits of a bill that will “give options to [all], mothers specifically.”

Meyer also backed recent statements of Pope Benedict XVI on the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS.

The pontiff, however, clarified that there is a difference between the use of condom in reproductive health and for sexual activities and that the church was not pushing for an increase in sexual activities by favoring the use of condoms.

The UNDP official maintained that he “respects the word of the church,” and that most parishioners in the Philippines would also admit that “a priest’s role was only to give guidance.”

‘Right path’

In the House of Representatives, the minority bloc also on Wednesday said that President Benigno Aquino 3rd would be taking the “right path” if he supported the RH bill.

“I don’t think that he [President Aquino] is risking anything if he would support this,” said House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, an author of one of the six RH and population control bills pending in Congress.

Rep. Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales also expressed support for RH bill, particularly its provisions giving the right to informed choice on reproductive health issues.

But Rep. Anthony Golez of Bacolod City (Negros Occidental) said that Mr. Aquino should not be dragged into the RH bill issue, and that the President risks impeachment if he supports the controversial measure.

“Will they drag the President’s name into the controversy? That is a culpable violation of the Constitution. And the President can be impeached because of that,” the lawmaker added.

Golez—a practicing doctor by profession—and Rep. Pablo Garcia of Cebu expressed the belief that life begins at fertilization. –Bernice Camille V. Bauzon and Ruben D. Manahan 4th, Reporters, Manila Times