MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The Catholic hierarchy’s call for members of the House to shun the reproductive health and family planning bill isn’t working, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the measure’s main proponent, told a news forum Thursday.

Lagman confirmed that at least two lawmakers have withdrawn their signatures from the Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill. He, however, said that the bill has 17 new signatories.

“The pressure is always there pero wala namang [but it has had no] effect,” he said in a phone interview.

“There are 17 new signatories since I stepped down [as chair of the committee on appropriations],” Lagman said at the Usaping Balita in Quezon City.

Lagman quit his post as House budget panel chairman to concentrate on reproductive health advocacy and honor the term-sharing agreement he has with the new appropriations committee chair, Quirino Representative Junie Cua.

“In just two days’ time we have 17 new signatures,” he added.

Minus the two lawmakers who withdrew their signatures, Lagman said the bill, which is up for plenary debate, now has 86 co-authors “and we expect the number to come close to 100 next week.”

Though he said the 86 co-authors’ votes are “already adequate“ to pass the measure in plenary, the Albay solon said they would try to get an “absolute” majority of House members behind its passage .

A simple majority of the quorum is needed to pass the measure.

However, Lagman said the new co-authors of the bill have requested that their names not be disclosed because “they don’t want to be pestered by calls and visits from church and lay leaders.”

“I am really confident that with my colleagues’ support and the Speaker’s [Prospero Nograles] commitment that this should be deliberated immediately, the pressure [from the Catholic leaders] appears to have no effect on House members,” Lagman said.

If the House leadership sticks to its priority agenda, Lagman said the bill should be approved on third and final reading by October.

“It has the go-signal from the Speaker [Prospero Nograles],” he said.