Lagman to critics: Support RH bill first
By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) Updated August 29, 2012 12:00 AM |
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MANILA, Philippines - The principal author of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill urged those opposed to the measure to first support it so that they could challenge its constitutionality.
“If the bishops and their lay allies are determined to challenge the constitutionality of the controversial measure, then they should stop hindering the bill from becoming a statute,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said.
“There can be no judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court of the constitutionality of the RH bill until it is enacted into law,” he said.
Lagman was reacting to the statement of some Church leaders that they would question the constitutionality of the proposed law on reproductive health, responsible parenthood and population development if Congress approves it and President Aquino signs it.
They claim the measure would promote abortion, which is against the Constitution.
Lagman said he and other authors of the measure are confident that it would pass a test on its constitutionality.
“The RH bill is against abortion as it provides that abortion is illegal and punishable, and is not an endorsed method of family planning. The function of contraceptives is to avoid pregnancy, either by preventing a woman from ovulating or the sperm from reaching the egg, which in either case there is no fertilization and no fetus to abort,” he said.
Lagman said neither the Constitution nor any law prohibits the manufacture, distribution and use of contraceptives.
“The RH bill respects the rights of spouses to found a family in accordance with their religious convictions and the demands of responsible parenthood,” he stressed.
Last Aug. 6, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to terminate debates on the controversial measure.
However, since then, opponents of the bill have successfully delayed resumption of its consideration by making privilege speeches and questioning the quorum.
The two sides have been blaming each other for the failure of the House to proceed to the next stage of the process, which is the period of introducing amendments or changes in the bill.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has promised to meet with the two sides and come up with rules that could get the measure moving again.
Bloggers insight:
On my own opinion,implementing RH Bill is not a bad idea since it will help many families in this country who are having a difficulty in feeding theirselves. T
his might be a good solution for those families who get much poorer because of a large family. Though we hear much criticisms about this because it is considered as "anti-life" have they ever thought of the people dying of hunger? guess not.This bill have a positive effect on our country since Philippines is now considered 12th most populous nation in the world today. Implying this law might be the key to lessen the sufferings of the less fortunate families are experiencing.
I also think that this bill should be implemented because through passing the bill we can decrease or lessen poverty cases. Although the church is against the bill because it promotes the use of contraceptives and it encourages people to commit and participate in pre and extramarital sex, I still think that the bill should be implemented because even if it is against catholic teachings, these teachings cannot change the fact that most of the people in the Philippines are experiencing poverty because of having a big family.
Passing the bill would give us some advantages like preventing population growth. This could also be helpful in avoiding a widespread of sexually transmitted diseases. Although, this bill could cause a lot of relationship problems, because people with sexual hunger could be satisfied easily and that they would abuse the gift of procreation without worrying of women getting pregnant.
Sources: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=842922&publicationSubCategoryId=63
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductive_Health_Bill
http://jadedsecret.hubpages.com/hub/Opinion-counts-The-Reproductive-Health-Bill-in-the-Philippines
