Reproductive Health

For once, at least we got some good news directly from President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III who issued a statement about the recent proposal legalizing divorce in the Philippines. “I promised job generation, education, health, judicial reform, and we are doing all that already… Divorce, I think, is not a priority at this time. I’m…

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic priest has laughed off the claim made by those opposing the reproductive health (RH) bill that using contraceptives is attempted murder.

Undoubtedly, since the introduction of the foreign sponsored and foreign crafted RH bill, a serious rift and deep division has been created in our nation. Never before have there been such heated discussions and sharp differences among Filipinos on several issues of fact and of law regarding this bill. Before it was introduced, we seemed…

Virulently toxic is the only way to describe the current political environment surrounding the debate over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill pending in Congress. Bishop Nereo Odchimar, head of the powerful Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) raised the temperature level to fever-pitch when he announced last September that the Church may excommunicate  President…

MANILA, Philippines – If Rizal were alive today, would he support the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill?

MAYBE REPRODUCTIVE health advocates are going a little overboard, I thought to myself when I read the press release about an activity today billed as: “Cherish Rizal’s Heritage: Pass the Reproductive Health Bill.”

ASIPULO, Ifugao: In the hinterlands of the famous Ifugao Rice Terraces nestles a young and modest-sized town, Asipulo which has been implementing its version of Reproductive Health since 2007.

MANILA, Philippines –  Senators want to resolve debates on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill first before tackling the divorce bill. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Joker Arroyo and Panfilo Lacson said there is a need to study the proposals to allow divorce in the country and put on hold any discussions at least until…

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) gave its full support to the “Protection of the Unborn Child” bill being pushed in the Senate Monday, saying it was the “much anticipated and much welcomed fruition of the promise and mandate” of the Constitution.

MANILA, Philippines — The “Condom King” of Thailand is urging proponents of the reproductive health (RH) measure in the Philippines not to give up the fight despite opposition from some sectors.

The heated debate over the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill has reached new heights with big names — on either sides — making their stands known. In exclusive one-on-one interviews with Jessica Soho, two of the most recognizable Filipino names in the world, Lea Salonga and Manny Pacquiao, defended their stance on GMA News TV’s…

IN THE FACE OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPLIES AND INFORMATION THEREON WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION AS TO AGE, SEX, RELIGION, ETC., THE PARENTS’ RIGHT TO DETERMINE THEIR CHILDREN As debates about the Reproductive Health (RH) bill continue to rage, proponents of the bill recently introduced certain amendments to the proposed statute, in response to…

THE Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood bill is a second-rate, trying hard, copy cat—that is as far is Rep. Roilo Golez of Parañaque is concerned.

In taking a stand on difficult issues, it is always advisable to have an open mind and to consider all angles. The better attitude is to think that there are wiser and more intelligent people who are experts on certain fields and whose views are much respected and often cited. One of them is of…

A lawmaker opposed to the Reproductive Health (RH) bill yesterday accused advocates of trying to tamper with the number of the controversial measure to make it appear that it is was filed ahead of the Pro-Life bill — Protection of the Unborn.

SUPPORTERS of the reproductive health bill on Wednesday challenged the Catholic Church to release to the poor some P12.9 billion it has locked up in shares of stock in the country’s third largest bank in assets.

MANILA, Philippines –  Plenary debates over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill at the House of Representatives went out of control as these touched on other issues that included God and religion, House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman lamented yesterday.

A senator bared yesterday a strong lobby backed by multinational drug companies and certain “personalities” that are working for the enactment of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill saying that he will expose them in an appropriate time.

Among the provisions of the controversial reproductive health bill is the institutionalization of “age-appropriate sex education” among the Filipino youth, specifically students of public elementary and secondary schools.

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, one of the authors of the proposed Reproductive Health (RH) bill at the Senate, said that the senators would start the debates on the controversial measure in August.

Once again and for several times already, the poor sector or the “stereo type slice of our society” particularly the Class D which allegedly constitute the largest segment of our population, is being used and cited as reason for the passage of the RH bill. The call is that before making any decision for or…

MANILA, Philippines—Catholics who support the reproductive health (RH) bill may no longer be considered real Catholics, a bishop said yesterday.

TAGAYTAY CITY, Philippines – While advocates see it as a viable solution to various burdens facing the country today, an official of the Department of Health (DoH) said the Reproductive Health (RH) bill will not solve poverty woes but will merely allow local government officials to move under a synchronized command in the delivery of…

Let me say it again upfront. The Catholic Church has every right to oppose the use of contraceptives from the pulpit. It may dictate to its believers anything it wants. But it cannot and it must not be allowed to dictate to others of a different faith.

The debate on the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill resumed in Congress this week, where the pros and the antis debate once more on this highly-toxic issue, often with those supporting the RH bill (notice they have dropped their new name Responsible Parenthood and returned to using once again the term Reproductive Health) peddling lies…

The issue on the fiercely-debated Reproductive Health (RH) bill took a different turn in the Senate yesterday with the filing of a citizen’s petition seeking an inquiry by the upper chamber, in aid of legislation, on some contraceptives supposedly included for public use in the proposed measure as abortifacient.

HOUSE leaders on Tuesday urged President Benigno Aquino III to certify the reproductive health bill as urgent after they learned that 34 of the 38 lawmakers who had signed up to oppose the measure were from the administration camp.

IT’S NOT RELIGION: Yes, I am a Catholic, and proud of it. Although a sinner, I am happy that the Mother Church still embraces me as one of its children.

MANILA, Philippines – No name-calling please. Malacañang yesterday appealed to Catholic bishops to be more circumspect in expressing their opposition to the reproductive health (RH) bill and avoid offending remarks and rude name-calling.

While Malacañang suddenly turned biblical over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill debate saying that it will retaliate by giving bread to those who throw stones against it, some Catholic bishops lambasted Sen. Panfilo Lacson, an ally of President Aquino, for alleging that the Church uses the pulpit to cam-paign against the controversial bill.