Advocates group lauds Senators’ support to RH bill
Noynoy urged to remain firm on repro-health stand
Advocates group of the reproductive health lauded Senators Francis Escudero and Gilbert Teodoro who remained firm on their stance that the government should have a program on reproductive health.
Likewise the group has called on Sen. Benigno Aquino III and other supportive presidential candidates “to remain firm and focused” on the issue of reproductive health.
This despite continued irrational opposition campaign conducted by some leaders of the Catholic Church, said Vigie Benosa-Llorin, media advocacy officer of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc.
PCLPD also told Aquino to “ignore close-minded” opposition on Reproductive Health.
“Reproductive health advocates and supporters are outraged by the manner and course of action conducted by some Catholic bishops and leaders towards anti-reproductive health campaign but are glad to note that the likes of Sen. Benigno Aquino, III, Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Sen. Francis Escudero remain firm on their stance,” said Benosa-Llorin.
Ramon San Pascual, executive director of PLCPD, said that “we are happy to note that despite threats from some close-minded oppositionists, Sen. Aquino, Sec. Teodoro and Sen. Escudero remain vocal on their support on the issue.”
He added, “we also urge these candidates to remain firm, especially in the coming days as we are sure that the Catholic Church will stage a “shock campaign” to make them backtrack on their support.”
“We understand that people will not vote based on a single issue, but we believe that a strong political will to go against the whim of one sector for the greater good, is a trait needed if we want to see a more progressive Philippines,” San Pascual concluded.
Meanwhile, George M. De La Cruz, convenor of the Visayas Media Advocates for Responsible Parenthood (VIMAR) said that prioritizing women’s health will help the country meet many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) — first improved maternal and child health, then reduced poverty, education, and gender equality.
Poor people tend to have large families, suffer disproportionately from illness, and use fewer health services during pregnancy and childbirth, he cited.
De La Cruz added that reproductive health care can enhance poor people’s overall health care and help families escape the poverty impact of having many children.
De La Cruz said that based on the reprohealth and development outcomes which were first articulated in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, fertility declined in many countries and new priorities arose, reproductive health and family planning fell steadily in international priority.
“Complicating this was the lack of sectoral ownership of reproductive health and the requirement for multisectoral action,” he noted.