Palace clueless on when to submit RP bill to Congress

A week after President Benigno Aquino III vowed to push the Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill even if it means excommunication by the Catholic Church, Malacañang admitted on Sunday it cannot yet tell when the bill would be submitted to Congress. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said Health Secretary Enrique Ona was tasked to draft the measure but has not given a timetable on when the draft will be completed. “Wala pa tayong nakikitang date na for submission. Si Sec. Ona kasi nabigyan ng particular task, wala pang nababanggit kailan magkakaroon ng draft bill on that matter (We still have no date of submission to Congress. Sec. Ona was tasked to draft the RP bill but he did not give any timetable for the draft bill)," she said on government-run dzRB radio. Last week, Aquino told graduating students of the University of the Philippines he is pushing the RP bill to curb poverty, even if it means excommunication for him. Catholic Church officials have been vocal against the reproductive health and responsible parenthood bills for their provisions that would allow artificial means of contraception. The Catholic Church favors only natural means of family planning. Meanwhile, Valte downplayed the need for a stronger PR campaign to counter the claims made by the Catholic Church and its allies against the bill. She said the Palace is obliged to answer only attacks aimed directly at Aquino. “I think iyung sinasabing (the so-called) negative PR, it’s really directed at the reproductive health bill, the consolidated one pending in Congress," she said. “Whether a strong PR campaign is required, we answer the ones directed against the President." – MRT/KBK, GMA News