RH bill foes face the wrath of student groups

Politicians won’t be the only ones wooing votes in next year’s elections.

An alliance of youth leaders in universities nationwide on Thursday warned that it will fiercely campaign against legislators opposing the controversial reproductive health bill.

“We will make sure they will lose in 2013 as we are ready to launch the full force of the youth against anti-RH legislators,” said JC Tejano, Student Council Alliance (SCAP) national spokesperson, noting that a vote against the proposed measure is a vote against the youth.

In a press conference Thursday, the SCAP through its leaders in different universities, urged Congress anew to pass the RH bill, saying the measure is vital to the youth’s future.

Tejano said they have chapters in universities in the provinces to campaign against prospective candidates who are vocal in their opposition to the RH bill.

“We will be there… In Manila, Cebu, Leyte,” he said, naming a few districts whose political leaders are against the measure.

Heart Diño, transgender chairperson of the University of the Philippines student council, said lawmakers “shouldn’t belittle the youth vote. They should listen to what the youth are actually saying.”

Hanz Ocampo, chairperson of the University of the East student council, noted that 80 percent of the 2.6 million new voters in the 2010 polls came from the youth sector.