‘One last push’ for RH bill

“THIS substitute (RH) bill was not meant to convince the recalcitrant (in the House),” declared Rep. Edcel Lagman at a consultation with civil society and women’s groups yesterday. “(The amendments) were made to convince the open-minded and the fence-sitters, and we succeeded. So many of my colleagues have approached me and said their concerns and doubts were addressed.”

The deadline for the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill is fast approaching, what with congressional elections scheduled for next year, with many legislators even now skipping sessions to attend to their campaigns. The “period of amendments” is now past, and the bill’s sponsors have just released the amended version of the House legislation.

But many supporters of the bill, feeling so many gains were given away just to ensure the passage of the measure, have expressed apprehension about the shape and nature of the final version. Thus the “dialogue” between Lagman, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco of Pangasinan, and Rep. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao, and the NGO representatives.

In contrast to the worried supporters, the legislators seemed rather upbeat, with Representative Cojuangco expressing optimism that the House would be able “to pass the bill before the Christmas break.” She added: “If the House leadership wants this to pass, it will pass. All they need to do is to bring in the warm bodies.”

Former Akbayan representative (and senatorial candidate) Risa Hontiveros shared that she was able to talk with Deputy Speaker Rep. Janet Garin, who has been tasked with shepherding the bill through the House, and Garin assured that as long as the number of those raising objections or filibustering against the bill is kept to a manageable number, “we can pass the bill by the end of 2012.”

Baguilat, for his part, counseled against being agitated by the statements made by the “antis.” “They remain firm, and there is no changing their minds,” he reminded his audience. “What we need at this point is a campaign to support the substitute bill,” and, echoing Lagman, declared: “We can still reach the undecided.”

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IT’S another story, though, at the Senate. A member of Sen. Pia Cayetano’s staff (the senator was in London addressing the British Parliament) walked the participants through the amended Senate version of the bill.

On the surface, the suggested amendments sound innocuous enough, although not a few observers said they were still bracing for what they called “killer amendments” especially from such staunch opponents of the measure as Sen. Tito Sotto and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

One problem with the Senate, observed a legislator, is that opposition to the RH bill is so much more marked in that chamber, “and the leadership of the Senate could just dribble (the bill) without making it move on.” Another problem is that a number of senators who don’t agree with the bill’s intent are running for reelection, and they would not want their personal stand on reproductive health, including women’s rights, to become an electoral issue. Which it would be, if the bill was put to a vote.

How then to force the issue in the Senate? Lagman says one way is to have the House pass the RH measure soon and in that way “pressure the Senate to act more speedily on the bill.” Another is to marshal the power of public opinion, especially through the mass media, on social networking sites, and through public forums.

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AS IT stands, the consolidated RH bill, House version, retains the major provisions of the original version, and more important, adds provisions that refocus the intent of the bill to better serve the poor and marginalized.

The amended bill prioritizes “the needs of poor women and men in marginalized households” who shall be “voluntary beneficiaries of reproductive health care, services and supplies for free.”

While the amended bill would grant “flexibility” in the teaching of reproductive health and sexuality education to sectarian schools, the requirement to include some form of this instruction, in an “age-appropriate” manner, remains. Previously, parents were given the option “not to allow their minor children to attend reproductive health and sexuality education classes to accord respect to religious convictions and beliefs.” Although, as a parent myself, I must wonder why some parents would not want their children to attend these classes where they could learn about the so-called “the birds and the bees” free from emotional baggage and parental unease.

The new and old acceptable amendments,” said Lagman, “do not dilute or destroy the essence of the original bill even as they accommodate the suggestions and concerns of well-meaning oppositors.” So—pass the RH Bill, now na!

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A WORD about “Cong Edcel.” I was quite worried upon seeing the congressman from Albay walking with the aid of a cane, although I do recognize it as a sign of coping with the assaults of an aging body.

But Lagman, who is stepping down from his post after this his third term, seemed energized and raring for “one last fight” in his push to get the RH bill passed into law.

After all, he has drawn up quite a list of legislative accomplishments. A brother of slain activist and urban poor leader Popoy and slain activist Hermon (one of the earliest victims of martial law), Edcel has long been a human rights champion. A bill he filed, which would outlaw torture as a state policy and practice was recently signed into law, while a bill he authored criminalizing the act of abducting and summarily executing suspected rebels (collectively known as desaparecidos or the disappeared) was recently passed by the House.

“Just pass the RH Bill and I would retire happy,” said a beaming Lagman.