House leaders urged to ‘streamline’ debates on RH bill

Lawmakers supporting the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill on Wednesday urged the leadership of the House of Representatives to limit the delaying tactics supposedly used by those against the measure when the chamber resumes debates on the issue next week. Minority Floor Leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the proponents of House Bill 4244 or the consolidated RH bill, said the House leadership should “streamline" the debates to make discussions on the measure faster. “The House leadership can streamline deliberations so that there will be no repetition of questions already answered and that dilatory interpellations can be avoided," he said at a press briefing. He added that limits should be imposed during the debates, which will resume on Tuesday next week, since the bill “has already been discussed inside and outside Congress for about 12 to 13 years." “There are no new arguments. We can anticipate the position of the oppositors to the bill," he said. Deputy Speaker Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, for his part, agreed that the RH bill should be put to a vote on the House floor as soon as possible. “The RH bill has been around for ages... Whether it wins or loses, at least we get to move on from it. After all, there are other pieces of legislation that need the attention of Congress," he said in a separate statement. Lagman, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the RH bill will get the approval of majority of his colleagues once it is put to a vote, although he declined to disclose any estimates as to how many lawmakers will favor the measure. “We have been making some political mappings, and we assure you that if a vote is taken, the RH bill will pass... I am telling you that if we take on the RH bill anytime, it will get the nod of the majority of the House," he said. A majority of all House members is needed to pass the RH bill at the House and for it to be transmitted to the Senate. The Senate can either pass its own version of the bill or adopt the bill passed by the House. After this, the bicameral conference committee will be convened to reconcile the respective versions of the House and Senate. Once the bicameral committee approves the bill, it will be returned to the House and Senate for ratification. It will then be submitted to Malacañang for the signature of the President. - KBK, GMA News