Lagman to Church: Don't interfere with gov't on family planning

House minority leader Edcel Lagman on Wednesday said that the Church should not interfere with the government policy on family planning as he urged President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to concretize his stand on responsible parenthood by endorsing the reproductive health bill pending in the House of Representatives. “The Church can always protest; that is the right of the Church. But the people have already spoken that they are in favor of the RH bill. Let the Church take care of saving our souls but let the State pursue unhampered a policy of saving lives," he said in a press conference. He said RH bill will save lives as it is meant to reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality and considerably reduce abortion rate in the country. “That is the secular realm which I think the Church should not unduly interfere (with)," Lagman said. A matter of informed choice He further said that the very essence of the reproductive health bill is the freedom of informed choice. “Neither the Church nor the State can compel the people or the faithful to use a particular form of family planning method. It is the option, it’s the decision of the couple particularly the women who bear the brunt of pregnancy and childbirth. So sa palagay ko the Church should understand that freedom of informed choice. No one is being compelled," the Albay representative said. A feather in Aquino administration's cap He added that if anything would cap the 100 days of the Aquino administration it would be the endorsement by the President of the RH bill. “This would mitigate initial setbacks during the first 100 days," he said. “We are happy that the President has an advocacy on voluntary family planning, birth spacing and contraceptive use. But more than that advocacy, we should concretize that by endorsing the RH bill," he added. The lawmaker said no amount of budget for education, social services, agriculture and ecology will be sufficient if the government will not be able to address the inordinately huge population growth rate pegged at 2.04 percent per year. Prevention of maternal deaths He said that, in the Philippines, 11 mothers die daily and the lifetime risk of maternal death in the country is 1 in 140, compared to 1 in 8,000 for women in developed countries. “Studies by the WHO, UNDP and UNFPA confirm that correct and consistent use of contraceptives will prevent one-third of all maternal deaths," Lagman said. He also stressed that virtually all or 98% of maternal deaths happen in developing countries like the Philippines. He expressed hope that with the pronouncement of Aquino, the committee on health would finally prioritize the bill and start hearing it. The health committee headed by Rep Alfredo Maranon III has yet to conduct any hearing on the proposal. “I’m optimistic that together, the executive and the legislative will adequately surmount the position of the Church," Lagman said. 'Right time to pass the RH Bill' Iloilo Representative Janette Garin said that present 15th Congress is the right time to pass the bill which has been pending since the 10th Congress. According to her, the country has a President who said that his administration will provide a range of options and information to couples in matters related to their reproductive health and a House Speaker who earlier said that reproductive health bill will be tackled and voted upon this Congress. “I am positive that the reproductive health bill will be enacted during this Congress," Garin said. “It is now our duty as lawmakers to ensure that laws, policies and programs that will provide couples access to reproductive health education and services are available," she added. Lagman’s allies, however, were not actively pushing for the RH bill. GMA: 'There are other alternatives' Former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep Gloria Macapagal Arroyo believed that the RH bill will not be the only thing that can address maternal health. “There are many things that can address maternal deaths. We have to look for a formula that can address the most important concerns of the significant sectors," she told reporters in a chance interview. Zambales Rep Ma Milagros Magsaysay said she appreciates the wisdom of the RH bill but she is not amenable to the fact that government funds should be used to procure contraceptives. “Honestly, I feel that funds should be used for basic services such as education and health care and livelihood and other projects but to use government funds to procure contraceptives for me (is not acceptable)…the limited funds of the government should be used on more important things," she said. - TJD, GMANews.TV