POPULATION BILL MOVES TO HOUSE PLENARY DEBATE

The battle over the controversial population control bill has officially shifted to the plenary.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2008, yesterday announced that the measure had been endorsed for plenary debates by the committee on rules.

This means that members of the House of Representatives, whether they are for or against House Bill 5043, will have to come out in the open and defend their positions.

Lagman stressed that the measure was not about condoms and pills and neither is it about religion... It is primarily about health and rights.

He said the committee on rules endorsement was a victory for reproductive health advocates, who have been waiting for the enactment of this bill for almost a decade.

Lagman said 96 lawmakers signed as coauthors of the bill as of yesterday and expects four more signatories today.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy has opposed the measure, mainly because it is against idea of the state intruding into the divine gift of procreation by promoting the use of artificial contraceptives.

The Churchs position is the backbone of the campaign at the lower house of the Pro-Life Caucus, a group of congressmen opposed to Lagmans bill.

Paranaque Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, a leading voice of the group, yesterday sought clarification from Health Secretary Francisco Duque on the governments family planning method of choice.

Duque, who was at the House to defend his departments budget, assured Zialcita that government policy was centered on natural family planning, the only method acceptable to the teachings of the Church.

In a statement, the Pro-Life Caucus said the proponents and promoters of reproductive health were silent on the adverse effects of contraceptives.

Couples should be informed not only of the alleged benefits but also of the ill side effects of these drugs and devices to the mother and to the unborn babies, it said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Author: Christian V. Esguerra