Lagman defends reproductive health bill before plenary

MANILA, Philippines - Reject “barefaced lies” and support the bill. This was the appeal made by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman Wednesday as he defended before the House plenary the controversial reproductive health bill of which he is the principal author. In his sponsorship speech, Lagman denied accusations by pro-life advocates that the bill is pro-abortion and that is supporters are “bad Catholics.” “The use of contraceptives for family planning does not make acceptors bad Catholics. But having more children whom parent can ill-afford to feed, educate, medicate, guide, and love makes them irresponsible regardless of their religion," the embattled lawmaker said. "We must open our minds to the import and merits of the reproductive health bill and reject contrived criticisms, expose barefaced lies, refute malicious innuendoes, and resist menacing threats," Lagman added. House Bill 5043, or "An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development," is facing staunch opposition from various groups, particularly those affiliated with the Catholic Church. The bill's critics claim that the bill, which espouses mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health education and the purchase of contraceptives by state hospitals, among others, is pro-abortion or anti-life. Lagman, however, said there is no bias for or against natural or artificial family planning methods in the bill, as "both will be promoted with equal vigor to truly assure freedom of informed choice." "The bill is not solely about pills, condoms… Neither is it about sex, morality or religion no matter how desperately its oppositors claim it is. It does not legalize abortion nor does it seek the legalization of abortifacients," he said. Earlier during the day, Parañaque Rep and House pro-life caucus chair Eduardo Zialcita maintained that the bill promotes abortion, saying most contraceptives are abortifacients. In an interview with GMANews.TV, Zialcita said the government "has no business interfering in the size of the family," adding that the promotion of contraceptive use through a law when contraceptives are already readily available to the public creates a "contraceptive culture." Lagman however countered that the bill will prevent, not abet, abortions. "Studies have shown that correct and consistent contraceptive use reduces abortion rates by a whopping 85 percent," said Lagman, adding that abortion rates and contraceptive use have an inverse correlation. Citing paragraph 16 of the Proclamation of Tehran during the International Conference on Human Rights in 1968, Lagman said reproductive health is a fundamental human right from which stems many other human rights, such as the right of mothers and children to good health, right of women not to die from childbirth of pregnancy-related causes, and right of parents to have the prospect of investing more on the health and education for their children. Lagman also said the reproductive health bill is in line with the Millennium Development Goals, which the Philippines pledged to achieve by 2015. He said, however, that his stance is not solely about religion, saying the issue is a moral, political, and economic one. On Monday evening, the delivery of Lagman's speech was stalled after Quezon City Rep. Mary Ann Susano pointed out that there was no quorum. - GMANews.TV