RH bill dead in House . . . for now

The House of Representatives has no plans of tackling the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the remaining two days before Congress adjourns its sessions for the official start of the campaign period for the May elections. “Yung RH, di na talaga namin kukunin because it's controversial (We will no longer tackle RH bill because it's controversial)," said House Speaker Prospero Nograles at a press briefing Tuesday. Nograles said the chamber would only take up non-controversial measures on Tuesday and Wednesday. House Bill 5043 - or An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development - is now up for plenary debates in the House. The bill proposes, among others, mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health education starting Grade 5 and the purchase of contraceptives by state hospitals as part of its essential medicines and supplies. Its Senate version, Senate Bill 3122, is also up for interpellation. No time for interpellation Nograles said there are still 20 lawmakers who have said they would like to interpellate authors of the controversial measure on the floor. “We cannot accommodate that anymore in the last [two] days. Mauubos yung oras ng House (The House's time will be eaten up), we cannot pass anything anymore," he said. The RH bill's push for both natural and artificial contraceptives has been slammed by the Catholic Church, which espouses only natural family planning methods. Catholic leaders claim that the proliferation of artificial contraceptives would give rise to immorality and promiscuity, and have even advised Catholics not to vote for candidates supporting the measure. Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, a senatorial aspirant who is one of the bill's staunchest advocates, meanwhile, said they would not concede that the bill is dead until Congress adjourns session. No surrender “Di namin isusuko na patay na yun hanggang huling araw ng session (We will not concede that it is dead until the last day of session)," she said in a text message. "Malay mo, may himalang mangyari (Who knows, a miracle might take place)." Congress, which holds plenary sessions Mondays to Wednesdays, will adjourn session on February 5 to give way to the official campaign period for national posts, which will start on February 9. The campaign period for those eyeing local posts starts on March 26. Nograles said he is open to holding special sessions after February 5 if the President calls for it, but expressed doubts over whether they can still muster a quorum then. Congress will only resume session on May 31 for the canvassing of votes. - KBK, GMANews.TV