MANILA, Philippines—Despite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s unequivocal support for natural family planning methods, “it’s not the end of the game” for the reproductive health bill, a lawmaker said Monday.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said the government must support a “comprehensive and well-funded” population management policy if it wants to sustain economic growth.

“In order to sustain developments, we should have a comprehensive and well-funded family planning policy and this policy should involve freedom of choice,” said Lagman, a leading proponent of the bill.

“In other words, information and access should be both to the natural and the modern family planning methods. We should not sacrifice one for the other,” he said.

“So it’s not the end of the game, so to speak, because we will have to sustain developments,” said Lagman.

The proposed measure is now up for plenary discussions at the House of Representatives.