Reproductive Health

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic priest, who is among the country’s top legal minds, has compared the Inquisition to the Ayala Alabang ordinance requiring people to secure prescriptions before they are allowed to buy condoms and other contraceptives in the village.

The numerous views and comments I have mentioned in this column are mostly against the RH bill simply because I have yet to receive from its advocates and supporters a point by point refutation of the reasons why it should not be enacted into law. Any response from the RH bill advocates and supporters will…

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma clarified that the Church is not “insensitive to the needs of the poor and the plight of women” as allegedly shown in their strong opposition to the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill in congress as implied by some pro-Reproductive Health Bill advocates.

Media practitioners especially from the press have the main responsibility of according the people their inherent right to know the unvarnished truth. Discharging this responsibility is actually rendering them justice because it is nothing but granting their rights or giving what is due them. Hence, this column will keep on presenting the various views that…

MANILA, Philippines –  Women activists all over the country marked the 100th anniversary of Women’s Day yesterday with protest marches to push for the passage of a comprehensive reproductive health bill and urge the government to address the rising prices of basic commodities.

ILOILO CITY, Mar 8 (PIA). Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago recently lauded public officials who have enacted reproductive health ordinances in their respective areas.

MANILA, Philippines – House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II on Tuesday assured that the Reproductive Health (RH) bill is a priority measure of the House of Representatives.

In the government hierarchy, it does not necessarily follow that those higher in rank are brighter, more sensible, more competent and qualified than those occupying lower (or lowly) positions especially the elected ones. Some Barangay councilors may deserve to be in Congress much more than some of those now sitting there who may really be…

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago reiterated her call for Congress to pass the proposed reproductive health (RH) bill in order to help address the rising number of maternity-related deaths, unwanted pregnancies and HIV cases in the country.

As members of the Lower House of Congress continue to deliberate and discuss the proposed RH bill, they should not confine themselves within the legislative chambers and the many pro and con arguments being adduced therein. As representatives of the people, they should continue listening to the many voices still being articulated outside the Batasan…

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga , Philippines  – A runaway population may be a headache, but for Citigroup it’s part of the global growth generator or 3G index, which can signal huge growth potential for the Philippines and 10 other countries.

More views against the RH bill are pouring in. Apparently they have not been considered by the Lower House Committee before the bill was endorsed to the entire body for approval in the plenary session. Hence for the enlightenment of our legislators and the entire citizenry, presented here are some more of these views, one…

ANILA, Philippines – The reproductive health bill has caused major uproar from many citizens in the country, especially those who believe that it goes against religion.

MANILA, Philippines – The Muntinlupa City council has remanded an Ayala Alabang ordinance banning sex education and the sale of contraceptives back to the barangay council after finding some of its provisions contrary to existing national laws, an official said yesterday.

CATHOLIC residents of Ayala Alabang have passed a village ordinance banning sex education, condoms, pills and other birth control devices in their posh subdivision, triggering a constitutional challenge from their equally rich but more famous neighbors such as former President Fidel Ramos, Senator Pia Cayetano, former Health secretary Esperanza Cabral, and Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon.

After Tuesday’s 20,000-strong march in Bacolod City opposing the passage of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill, Church and pro-life groups are gearing up to hold more street protests this weekend in the Eastern Visayas cities of Tacloban and Ormoc.

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City is now requiring people who buy condoms to present a doctor’s prescription.

Objections to the RH bill continue to surface and are noticeably mounting. This time even the faculty members, students and alumni of the University of the Philippines who can really be considered the most independent and open minded sector in the raging controversy, “given the secular background of UP education”, have come out with a…

MANILA, Philippines –  A women’s group yesterday decried reports that certain parishes have imposed “communion” ban on Reproductive Health (RH) bill advocates.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) – A local Catholic parish drafted a statement that they will refuse communion to parishioners who support a controversial reproductive health bill in Congress until they renounce the bill.

The sponsors and advocates of the RH bill particularly women who openly professed they are Catholics (C4RH) insist that the bill is pro-life. It is pro-life because it promotes the reproductive health of women especially those who cannot afford to be pregnant and have babies. These women are telling us that they own their bodies…

MANILA, Philippines –  Malacañang yesterday reiterated that the Responsible Parenthood bill, the administration’s version of the Reproductive Health bill, will not favor one kind of family planning method over the other.

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives Wednesday morning approved the use of more than P700 million to fund the consolidated bills on Reproductive Health (RH) a week after the House Committee on Population and Family Relations endorsed the controversial measure for plenary approval.

President Aquino yesterday said his Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill is basically a “reorientation” of the current debates with respect to the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill that is currently pending at the 15th Congress.

CONTRARY to the claims of reproductive health (RH) advocates that it is only the Catholic Church that is against the bill, thousands of pro-life advocates joined the interfaith rally Sunday at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City to show their support for life.

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be the day of “lovers”. It has always been associated with the word “love” as symbolized by the heart. Hence this is the day when cards containing attractive and beautiful replica of the heart, or red roses that resembles the shape and color of the heart, or heart- shaped cakes…

At the start of the month, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines issued a strong statement reiterating its stand against the Reproductive Health bill currently up for discussion by the Lower House representatives.

President Aquino’s decision to drop the Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill from his list of priority legislative agenda for the first Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) he would convene is not an act of betrayal to the women’s groups, Malacañang implied yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines –  President Aquino has always been for responsible parenthood, Malacañang reiterated yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines – Backers of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill expressed dismay yesterday that President Aquino has decided against giving priority to the bill in Congress this year.