Aquino willing to risk excommunication for RP bill

President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday reiterated his willingness to risk excommunication from the Catholic Church in pushing for the passage of the controversial Responsible Parenthood bill. Aquino, in his speech at the University of the Philippines’ 100th Commencement Exercises, said he cannot stand by and watch the cycle of poverty continue amid unplanned births. “Buo ang loob ko na maisabatas ang prinsipyo ng responsible parenthood. Mulat ako na may mga tutol dito. Subali’t obligasyon ko bilang pinuno na lumapit sa lahat ng sektor para kausapin at ipagpaliwanag sa kanila nang mahinahon. Kahit pa ang sabi ng iba ay dapat i-excommunicate na ako, kailangan po natin pakinggan maski na ang mga taong sa pananaw ng marami ay sarado na ang isip. Pero sa huli ay kailangan ko magdesisyon. Kailangan ko pa rin sundin ang aking konsensya kailangan kong gawin ang tama," he said. (I remain committed to push the passage of a law for responsible parenthood. I know there are those who oppose it. At risk of excommunication, it is my obligation as leader to explain my principles to them, even if their minds are already closed. But in the end I must listen to my conscience and do what is right.) He recalled meeting a 16-year-old boy at the Baseco area in Manila, who he said already had two children. He said the boy and his partner both had no jobs and no means to support their children. “Paano niya pakakainin at papaaralin, walang trabaho ng asawa? Sino po ba ang nagkulang, sino ang nagtulak sa kanila sa ganitong sitwasyon? Paano bumagsak sa kanilang mga balikat ang ganitong pananagutan? At ang pinakamahalagang tanong, ano ba ang aking magagawa?" he said. (How will they feed their children when they have no jobs? Who is to blame for their situation? How did such responsibility fall on them? More importantly, how can I help them?) The Responsible Parenthood Bill faces stiff opposition from the Catholic Church because of its provisions allowing artificial means of contraception. Catholic Church officials, who favor only natural means of family planning, had called for the junking of the RP bill and the Reproductive Health bill. Last March, Manila-based Church officials led an anti-RH bill rally while Negros-based Church officials took part in an anti-RH bill caravan in Negros in the Visayas last weekend. Aquino spoke at the UP commencement exercises where he received a doctor of laws degree (honoris causa). He lauded the UP as a bastion of independence, and an active watchdog of freedom, not afraid to point out the wrongdoings of the administration. He cited the UP for questioning flaws in the NorthRail project contract in 2005, which he said led to a review of the contract. He also lauded it for speaking out against plagiarism in high places. “Hindi porke’t nasa taas ka, pwede mo nang baluktutin at angkinin ang gawa ng ibang tao (Just because you’re in a position of power does not mean you can plagiarize other people’s work)," he said. He also said many of his appointees and Cabinet members are from UP: Supreme Court Justice Lourdes Sereno (UP College of Law); Commission on Audit chief Grace Tan (UP College of Law); COA member Heidi Mendoza (UP National College of Public Administration and Governance); Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman (UP College of Social Work and Community Development); and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson (UP College of Engineering). - KBK/MRT, GMA News