Lagman wants ‘enlightening sessions’ with Catholic Church over RH bill

House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman. INQUIRER/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines – Representative Edcel Lagman, one of the principal authors of the Reproductive Health Bill, is seeking “enlightening sessions” with representatives of the Catholic Church, according to a statement released by his office Wednesday.

Lagman issued the statement amid a call by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle for the resumption of dialogues not only with Malacañang officials but also with congressional leaders, particularly the major proponents of the measure.

Lagman said the dialogues could be conducted separately or jointly with Palace representatives and should include the following core provisions of the RH bill:

1. The central concept is freedom of informed choice on the use of family planning methods from the natural to the modern which are legal, medically safe and truly effective;

2. There shall be neither compulsion nor bias in favor of a particular family planning method;

3. A full recognition that the Philippines has a population problem which is aggravated by limited resources and a precarious carrying capacity;

4. There is an indubitable and empirical linkage between population and sustainable human development, including poverty;

5. No human development agenda is achievable without addressing the issue on population;

6. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly on improvement of maternal health, reduction of infant mortality, attainment of universal primary education and eradication of extreme poverty and hunger  can be made more attainable with the passage of the RH bill;

7. The RH bill envisions a comprehensive and nationwide policy on responsible parenthood, family planning and population development which are not particularly addressed by existing laws and changing policies; and

8. There is need to institutionalize and codify related statutes and policies on reproductive health, women’s rights, child nutrition and protection, prevention of violence against women and allied concerns, and earmark adequate funding.