A key crusader for the reproductive health (RH) bill in the lower House likened the battle for the passage of the controversial measure to pregnancy.
 
“Legislation is a process. It covers a period. Just like gestation, it requires nine months. You count nine months. That will end in June,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Monday in a press conference.

Lagman is a proponent of House Bill 5043, which is controversial for promoting, among others, the use of government funds to make available free contraceptives to the poor.  

The bill reached the House plenary in September 2008. Supporters of modern family planning methods celebrated after that because it was the first time—since a similar bill was introduced in Philippine Congress 14 years ago—that such a bill was able to hurdle committee.

Lagman and fellow supporters of the bill in the lower House are confident of its passage.

“Nobody withdrew his or her signature during the break. I’m happy to report that. We are now ready to resume battle for choice, women, and life,” Lagman said. “The prospects are encouraging."

While those opposing the bill are “procrastinating” and have caused the delay in the plenary debates, Lagman said this does not mean "victory for them."

"It’s only a temporary setback for the campaign. There are 113 authors and 24 other members who have committed to the measure. One-hundred thirty seven is more than an absolute majority,” Lagman said. (With 238 members, 120 votes make up an absolute majority of the House.)  

Only simple majority needed

The reproductive health bill doesn’t even require an absolute majority vote of all 238 members of the House. Once the 22 congressmen who have lined up for interpellations are finished, and as long as there is a quorum--at least 120 members present—the bill can be put to a vote.

It takes only simple majority--or a majority of those present during that particular session, which means half of the congressmen present plus one--to pass it. Congress rarely, if at all, has a perfect attendance.

For instance, it took only 111 votes to approve last December the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program without the compulsory land transfer program.

“We have sufficient numbers. It’s only a matter of time,” Lagman said.  

Asked if all 137 supporters of the bill promised to be in the plenary during voting day, Lagman said, “We don’t have control over the members’ attendance, but I am hopeful and positive that when voting day comes, they will be there.”

Nevetheless, Lagman said they will not be complacent.

“We will continue to campaign for more authors. At the end of the day, this [number of supporters] can be reduced. We should not only have superiority in arguments; we need superiority in numbers,” he said.  

'Sins’ of the anti-RH legislators

Lagman’s assurances appeased the network of NGOs supporting the reproductive health bill, although they are still hoping that the bill will be passed in March, which is celebrated as Women’s month.

“We are getting a bit nervous and apprehensive because of the slow process at the plenary in terms of passage of reproductive health bill. Our confidence is still there but we want to call the attention of our legislators,” said Elizabeth Angsioco, secretary-general of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), a coalition of NGOs lobbying for the reproductive health bill. 

Their disappointment has come to a point where they are now blaming the anti-reproductive health legislators for three sins:

• wasting government money;
• death of 341 women;
• subversion of the will of the majority.

Wasting gov't money

Dividing the 2008 budget of the House of Representatives (P3.7 billion) to about 300 session days, the RHAN computed that P12.3 million is spent per session day.  

From September to December, the RHAN said the House of Representatives spent P362.5 million. (The P3.7 billion budget covers the capital outlay, salaries of the employees, and the miscellaneous expenses. Congressmen get a salary of P35,000 a month. But they each have about P70 million pork barrel in 2008, which is allotted outside the budget of the chamber.)

“It’s a huge amount. We are disappointed that such money is wasted by delaying tactics of anti-RH bill legislators,” Angsioco said.

The RHAN is also blaming the congressmen for the death of 341 women since September. “All research studies say that 11 girls die every day because of complications in pregnancy. That’s 341 women that may have died because of complications since September. Anti-reproductive health bill legislators allow this to happen. This is simply unacceptable. Women have the right to live as much as everyone has the right to live,” Angsioco added.

“I just want to reemphasize that the issue of reproductive health being unavailable to most of our poor women is of great public concern. It is a matter of urgent concern,” said former Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez, who serves as Lagman’s consultant.
 
“Most of our LGUs cannot support a full reproductive health program,” Romualdez added.  

It’s also a subversion of the people’s will. A big majority is in favor of the reproductive health bill, Angsioco said, citing the latest survey of Pulse Asia showing that 63 percent of Filipinos are in favor of the pending reproductive health bill. The survey was conducted in October 2008.

Other supporters of the reproductive health bill include the professors of the University of the Philippines College of Economics, 69 professors from Catholic school Ateneo de Manila University, and churches like the Iglesia ni Kristo, and the Jesus is Lord Movement.

The Catholic Church lobby

The Catholic Church is the biggest opponent of the measure. Lagman said the church is simply “misinformed.”  

“They say the bill is anti-life. It’s actually pro-quality life. They say it is biased for modern methods of family planning. No. It promotes modern and natural family planning. It's for freedom of choice," he said.

“They say it legalizes abortion. Time and again, the bill is against abortion. Contraceptive use will not lead to abortion. In fact, it reduces abortion. We promote planned and safe pregnancy and childbirth,” Lagman said.  

“They say the bill promotes promiscuity [because of mandatory sexual education in several school levels]. Education will promote better and correct sexual values. It encourages abstinence before marriage. It will not create a breed of sex maniacs. Particularly in the Philippines, talking about sex is taboo in our homes,” he added.  

Lagman said the obstacles to the RH bill can be overcome.

“The adversities are not insurmountable. Some bishops of the Catholic hierarchy are hell bent in their opposition. But it’s a product of misinformation. Their broad arguments are replicated by allied legislators,” he said.