(The Philippine Star) Updated March 25, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Proponents of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the House of Representatives have agreed to remove some of the contentious provisions to speed up the approval of the controversial measure.
On the other hand, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said yesterday that they would have no problem with President Aquino, who supports the passage of an RH bill, attending a pro-life prayer rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park today.
The Archdiocese of Manila said one of the highlights of the program is the symbolic tearing of the RH bill. The AOM said traffic will be rerouted starting at 9 a.m. while parts of Roxas Boulevard will be closed starting at 2 p.m. today.
House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the main authors of House Bill 4244, wrote to Biliran Rep. Rogelio Espina, chairman of the House committee on population and family relations, on March 15 informing him of some amendments to the measure “in order to preclude misconceptions and protracted debates.”
The chamber resumed plenary debates on the RH bill Wednesday but the discussions are expected to be protracted with at least 50 lawmaker signing up for interpellations. Congress will go on a break starting tomorrow and will resume sessions on May 9.
Lagman listed six amendments to the bill being debated in plenary, including deleting a phrase in Section 13 of the measure that states that local government units should “give priority to family planning work” and replace it with just “help implement this Act.”
The proponents also agreed to add a final provision to Section 16 on mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education, which shall read: “Parents shall exercise the option of not allowing their minor children to attend classes pertaining to Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education.”
Section 20 on ideal family size “should be deleted in its entirety considering that the norm on ideal family size is neither mandatory nor punitive. Its total deletion will preclude further misinformation and misrepresentation as to the import of the provision,” Lagman said.
“Moreover, its deletion will also underscore freedom of informed choice,” he said.
The proponents also deleted Section 21 on employers’ responsibilities on reproductive health in its entirety, considering that this provision is a restatement and amplification of the existing Article 134 of the Labor Code.
“This deletion would obviate further objections and debates,” Lagman said.
He said Section 28 (e) on prohibited acts, which read as: “Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent and provisions of this Act” should be deleted in its entirety in order to afford widest latitude to freedom of expression within the limits of existing penal statutes. – Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan
MANILA, Philippines - Proponents of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the House of Representatives have agreed to remove some of the contentious provisions to speed up the approval of the controversial measure.
On the other hand, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said yesterday that they would have no problem with President Aquino, who supports the passage of an RH bill, attending a pro-life prayer rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park today.
The Archdiocese of Manila said one of the highlights of the program is the symbolic tearing of the RH bill. The AOM said traffic will be rerouted starting at 9 a.m. while parts of Roxas Boulevard will be closed starting at 2 p.m. today.
House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the main authors of House Bill 4244, wrote to Biliran Rep. Rogelio Espina, chairman of the House committee on population and family relations, on March 15 informing him of some amendments to the measure “in order to preclude misconceptions and protracted debates.”
The chamber resumed plenary debates on the RH bill Wednesday but the discussions are expected to be protracted with at least 50 lawmaker signing up for interpellations. Congress will go on a break starting tomorrow and will resume sessions on May 9.
Lagman listed six amendments to the bill being debated in plenary, including deleting a phrase in Section 13 of the measure that states that local government units should “give priority to family planning work” and replace it with just “help implement this Act.”
The proponents also agreed to add a final provision to Section 16 on mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education, which shall read: “Parents shall exercise the option of not allowing their minor children to attend classes pertaining to Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education.”
Section 20 on ideal family size “should be deleted in its entirety considering that the norm on ideal family size is neither mandatory nor punitive. Its total deletion will preclude further misinformation and misrepresentation as to the import of the provision,” Lagman said.
“Moreover, its deletion will also underscore freedom of informed choice,” he said.
The proponents also deleted Section 21 on employers’ responsibilities on reproductive health in its entirety, considering that this provision is a restatement and amplification of the existing Article 134 of the Labor Code.
“This deletion would obviate further objections and debates,” Lagman said.
He said Section 28 (e) on prohibited acts, which read as: “Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent and provisions of this Act” should be deleted in its entirety in order to afford widest latitude to freedom of expression within the limits of existing penal statutes. – Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan
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