Cebuano Youth Leaders Urge Cebuano Legislators: RH Now!

by RH Agenda on Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 7:27pm ·

Reproductive health is an issue for all Filipinos. We know everyone has got something to say. It is time that the legislators listen to the youth.

The pursuance of Reproductive Health has never been this far in our history as a country. For almost 15 years now, a concrete measure to provide for reproductive health care services that our people deserve is still pending and debated. It is with this urgency that we call our Cebuano Legislators to say YES for RH Bill!

Firstly, it is myopic to think that being Pro-RH is being anti-life; moreover it is for a better quality of life, RH bill will save lives. We are human rights advocates, and we believe that life’s sanctity must be protected not just at conception but after a child is born. Each child is a blessing and parents must have children they can responsibly take care of. Those children must be given their rights, and most especially, all the love they can get. But please look around you and you will see that there are so many children not being properly taken care of, so many children whose human rights are not being provided for. Again, we must protect the sanctity of the life of each child being born. So many children want an education but if you live in a household of 12, it just gets harder and harder for parents and their children to have that dream realized.

The sad truth is that many just walk by the children on the streets, when they ask for some coins for food to fill their stomachs. Many do not help, and then we condemn them for sniffing rugby to ease their hunger. What is your answer to their cries? We really need the responsible parenthood, reproductive health and family development bill to be enacted.

LP, NPC Leadership: ‘Pass RH Bill’

BY CARMELA FONBUENA
POSTED ON 12/11/2012 4:14 PM | UPDATED 12/12/2012 6:27 AM

(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines – At the eleventh hour, the leadership of both the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and key ally Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) have taken a stand to support the passage of the Reproductive Health bill (RH bill).

LP president Manuel Roxas II called LP members in the House of Representatives to a lunch meeting in the LP headquarters on Tuesday, December 11, to announce the party leadership’s support for the controversial Reproductive Health bill (RH bill). Budget secretary Butch Abad was also present.

The House is scheduled to put the bill to a vote on Wednesday, December 12.

“Hinikayat ng liderato ng Partido Liberal, kabilang na sina House Speaker Sonny Belmonte at Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales, na bumoto at suportahan ng mga kongresista ang panukalang batas na ito (The leadership – among them Speaker Sonny Belmonte and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales, urged party members to vote in favor of the RH bill), reads an LP statement issued after the meeting.

“Nanindigan ang Liderato ng LP, na huwag talikuran ang Pangulo sa isyu ng RH Bill, at bumoto para maipasa na ito sa mababang kapulungan. (The leadership of the LP stand firm – not to abandon the President on the issue of the RH – and vote to pass the measure in the House of Representatives), the statement further reads.

This is a departure from the ruling party’s previous position that relied on each member’s conscience vote as far as the measure was concerned. Staunch critics of the bill were not present. It is the “sway-able” LP who were present, said an LP solon who attended the meeting.

Visiting Spanish Parliamentarians Endorse RH Bill

September 24, 2012 6:54pm

Five members of the Spanish parliament who visited the Philippines earlier this month had asked Congress to pass the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

In a joint statement released to the media on Monday, the parliamentarians said the RH bill is “necessary” to guarantee the right to health of every Filipino.

“We encourage the Filipino Parliament to adopt the bill on reproductive health, which has been designed focusing on the reduction of maternal mortality by increasing access to basic and emergency maternal care, contraceptive methods and post-abortion care,” the foreign lawmakers said.

The members of the Spanish parliament who signed the statement were Carmen Monton, Juan Carlos Grau, Antoni Pico, Laia Ortiz and Anna Figueras.

Spain is a predominantly Catholic country, just like the Philippines. Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines are opposing the passage of the RH bill.

The parliamentarians also expressed support for the promotion of “age-specific contents on sexual and reproductive education” in the curricula of Philippine schools.

The Spanish lawmakers said these proposals can address their concern over Filipino women’s inability to plan their families.

RH Bill Backed by SGV Founder

Posted on September 19, 2012 10:41:29 PM

WASHINGTON SyCip, founder of audit firm SGV & Co., yesterday voiced his support for the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill pending in Congress.

SYCIP

“Of course, I support it,” Mr. SyCip said during a Financial Executives of the Philippines’ (FINEX) membership meeting, adding that the Philippines’ being a predominantly Catholic country should not be the only consideration.

“Other Catholic countries, France, Italy and Spain, are all using condoms and contraceptives,” Mr. SyCip said.

The RH Bill — tagged as a priority by the Aquino administration and rejected by the Catholic Church and religious groups — is pending second reading approval in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Business groups such as FINEX back its approval. — KAM

(Video) Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Suportado ang Pagsasabatas ng RH Bill

PTVPhilippines

Published on Sep 3, 2012 by PTVPhilippines
Philippine Institute for Development Studies, suportado ang pagsasabatas ng RH Bill [September 04, 2012]

Sangunian Statement of Support for the RH Bill

SANGGUNIAN STATEMENT ON THE RECENT EVENTS REGARDING HB 4244

A Sanggunian statement on the events following the call of 192 faculty members of the Ateneo de Manila University to Pass HB 4244

On August 19, 2012, 192 faculty members of the Ateneo de Manila University released a statement in support of House Bill 4244 or The Responsible Parenthood,Reproductive Health and Population and Development Bill, urging legislators to act swiftly and judiciously on the proposed amendments to the bill and thereafter vote for its passage. The stand reiterated that they were speaking only for themselves and not on behalf of the University, the Society of Jesus, or their colleagues.

This was met with criticism by various individuals from several institutions such as theCatholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and the Pro-life Philippines organization. They called for the investigation of the 192 signatories, and furthermore,the CBCP warned all Catholic schools that their status as such can be removed unless they are to align their teachings on matters of life with Church teachings.

As a reply, University President Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, S.J. Released a statement reiterating the University’s stand against the passage of the bill, but expressed appreciation to the 192 esteemed faculty members for “their social compassion and intellectual efforts”, urging them to “continue in their discernment of the common good.”

Plan Calls on Philippines Government to Pass Reproductive Health Bill

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 07:22 GMT
Source: Member // Plan International

The Reproductive Health Bill not only fulfils the rights of the child but promotes the rights of women as well.

Plan International, a humanitarian, child-centered organization working in 66 countries worldwide, strongly supports the immediate passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.

As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Philippine government has an obligation to provide the means for the fulfilment of the rights of the child.

The RH Bill, we believe, not only fulfils the rights of the child but promotes the rights of women as well. It does so through the following measures:

1) Provide adequate training and employ health care providers and information givers to protect mothers and child during pregnancy, at birth and after delivery.

2) Train health care providers and information givers on responsible parenthood so they will be able to help individuals, couples and young people determine the needs and wants of family and children.

Missing the Point

Tuesday, 14 August 2012 22:24 AJPress

OVER the last ten years, the Philippines’ population has boomed to an additional 15 million.

With a staggering 94 million people, the Philippines holds the dubious distinction of being the 7th most populated country in Asia and 12th in the world.

On August 13, while delivering his usual turno en contra speech against the divisive Reproductive Health (RH) bill, Sen. Vicento Sotto III got emotional.

Sotto, who vowed to continue fighting for the protection of life, recalled how he lost his first son, which he claims was due to the use of contraceptives. It was his son’s 37th death anniversary.

“But now I realize it happened because I have a job to do—to warn people about the dangers of contraceptives. That is my mission now,” he said.

Contraceptives have been used long back in the 60s. It was never in any way a detriment to the society. Since then, contraceptives have given people around the world a mere lifestyle choice.

But as a predominantly Catholic country, the Church deems people who choose this kind of lifestyle as sinners.

BIGKIS-UPM Statement of Support for the RH Bill

Statement of support from the BIGKIS-UPM (UP Manila) group in SUPPORT of the RH Bill

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=485466561463530&set=a.163406853669504.38385.163404643669725&type=1&ref=nf

PCW to Lawmakers: Vote “Yes,” End Debates, and Pass RH Bill

An August 6, 2012, press release from the Philippine Commission on Women

The House of Representatives is set to decide on the fate of the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act (HB 4244) on August 7. After more than a decade since the first reproductive health (RH) bill was filed, the country is now closer to a vote.

“We urge our lawmakers to represent the views of majority of the Filipino women who clamor for information and services on family planning and how to become more responsible parents,” Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Executive Director Emmeline L. Verzosa said.

A survey by the Social Weather Stations (2nd quarter 2011) showed that 82% of Filipinos say family planning method is a “sacred” personal choice; 73% want information on legal methods available from government.

The 2011 Family Health Survey showed an “alarming” maternal mortality ratio of 221 per 100,000 lives births, higher than the last official figure of 162.