MANILA, Philippines—Authors of the controversial reproductive health bill in the House of Representatives are ready to dialogue with Catholic bishops, but they're not budging from their position.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, principal author, said Friday he was ready to meet with officials of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in a dialogue to thresh out misconceptions about the bill.

The dialogue, set by Speaker Prospero Nograles, could be held next week, said the lawmaker, head of the five-member House panel.

``We're going to explain to the bishops the contents of the bill, and show them that their apprehensions are not found in the bill,” he said in a phone interview.

Lagman said the bill does not legalize abortion and is not biased for contraceptives. On the contrary, it offers medically-safe and ``permissible modes” of family planning, he added.

But the lawmaker declared he wasn't budging from his position. ``They can't convince me. Not even a century of convincing will change my advocacy,” he said.

Apart from the dialogue, the Catholic Church is also sending out priests to coax lawmakers to withdraw their sponsorship or support for the bill, which was approved at the committee level.

The Church has mounted a fresh campaign to block the bill, which was passed by the committees on health, population and family relations, and is expected to be tackled after Congress resumes sessions on July 28.

The influential CBCP has met with the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to reiterate the Catholic Church’s fierce opposition to the bill, and the President said she was sticking to her policy against contraceptive use.

The Church has also taken the campaign to the grassroots level. Ozamiz Archbishop Jesus Dosado issued a pastoral statement ordering priests in his archdiocese to refuse communion to pro-abortion politicians.

Akbayan party-list Representative Risa Hontiveros agreed with Lagman: "No, we should not [budge]. We should listen to their coaxing as to any other constituents, but not withdraw support for the bill. It is a matter of public policy and of public policy.”

Iloilo Representative Janette Garin said: ``I'm standing by it.”

Nograles hoped the dialogue would settle any differences between the Church and the lawmakers over the bill.

``That's why we need the dialogue between the congressmen and the bishops,” he said in a text message when asked if the lawmakers should yield to pressures from the bishops.

Lagman said that part of the misconception about the bill's provisions lay in the fact that the bishops have not read the bill.

``I think they have not read the bill. They're basing their arguments in the old, outmoded orthodoxy,” he said. ``Everyone, including the media, should read the bill.”

In the run-up to the dialogue, Lagman appealed to the bishops and his colleagues to ``create an amicable atmosphere.”

``Pending that dialogue, let's try to keep our peace,” he said.

Apart Lagman, Hontiveros and Garin, Representatives Janette Garin, Narciso Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza and Eleandro Madrona introduced the consolidated bill.

Lagman and Garin said they were not surprised that the CBCP Commission on Family and Life decided to send priests to talk politicians out of their support for artificial contraceptives.

``They've been doing that. That's nothing new,” Lagman said, quoting colleagues who have been approached by bishops to change their position.

Garin confirmed receiving a letter from Jaro Archbishop and CBCP president Angel Lagdameo not to support the approval of the bill before Congress adjourned in mid-June.

``Year in, year out we get communications like this,” she said in an interview, but said she was sticking to her position despite possible backlash from the Church in the 2010 elections. ``I hope and pray that the others will be firm in their stand.”