Solons clash on funding for contraceptives in Grand RH Debate

Two female legislators clashed over the planned allocation of funds for contraceptives proposed in the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill on Sunday night during the first round of GMA News TV’s “Grand RH Debate." Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, co-author of House Bill 4244 or the consolidated RH bill, said allocating funds for contraceptives will “strengthen and empower" poor families in the country. “Hindi masusugpo ang kahirapan kung ang pagpaplano ng pamilya ay ating ipagkakait dahil kailangan ito ng bawat mamamayan," she said. Garin added that poverty alleviation can only be achieved if the government integrates family planning into its various programs. Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay, who opposes the RH bill, however said that the government should allot the country’s limited funds to education and basic services. “Kung kakaunti ang pondo ng gobyerno, syempre uunahin ko na po ang edukasyon at kalam ng sikmura ng constituents ko," she said. The two women both approached the poverty angle of the RH debate from their policy-making perspectives as legislators, displaying mastery of the subject matter and skill in explaining their points. Magsaysay argued that the RH bill should be rejected wholesale because there are other laws, including the Magna Carta of Women, which address the concerns on maternal health care and women’s rights. She pushed for the effective implementation of existing laws and programs, particularly those on child care and skills training. “Family planning alone cannot solve poverty. Studies have shown that education is the ultimate solution to poverty," she said. Magsaysay explained that given the problem of limited government resources, education and employment generation are more effective alternatives to spending for contraceptives. However, Garin said the RH bill is only one among many solutions needed to address poverty. She came prepared with visual aids containing charts and statistics, in order to emphasize her point on how having too many children limits a family’s ability to meet its basic needs. Garin also resorted to common sense, saying that it becomes much harder for a family with more children to cope with daily life. Morality and women's rights Other guests in the program were Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani, Jr. and Bishop Efraim Tendero, National Director of the Philippine Council for Evangelical Churches, who debated on the issue of morality. Meanwhile, celebrity mom and RH Bill advocate Pia Magalona faced off with University of the Philippines Prof. Aliza Racelis on women's issues. GMA News veteran anchor Mel Tiangco served as the moderator of the Grand Debate. Each guest was allowed a period of interpellation with the opposing camp after giving an initial statement on the aspect of the RH BILL assigned to the speaker. After the interpellation, a panel of interrogators subjected the debaters to further questioning. The pro-RH panel was composed of outspoken RH Bill activist Carlos Celdran, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, and UP Prof. Dr. Sylvia Claudio. The anti-RH panel members were Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. University of Asia and the Pacific College of Arts and Science Dean Antonio Torralba, and Dr. Deane Campo-Cruz. The studio and online audience were also given the chance to ask questions through two celebrity facilitators who were former student debaters, news anchor Pia Arcangel and television host RJ Ledesma. - Andreo C. Calonzo/ELR/KBK/YA, GMA News