Not yet over

What do you know, barely hours after the formal inauguration of Pope Francis, the Supreme Court handed down a 120-day temporary status quo order on the Reproductive Health (RH) Law which gave the country’s Catholic Church a double celebration of sorts.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was magnanimous but still struck a serious note when he said their campaign is far from over. The ultimate target, as always, is the immediate repeal, abolition and absolute removal of the RH law from the country’s Constitution.

Proponents of the RH law are feeling down right now, but the 120-day period can be a test of resolve and will on their part and to those who believe in the law’s potential not only to reduce the spiraling population growth but in its mandate to give couples a responsible, mutually beneficial choice that can actually save lives.

Arguments aplenty will characterize the deliberations for the RH law and both sides will not lack for advocates but whatever the results, would this bar stores and other outlets from giving and selling birth control medicines and devices?

Apparently not despite the fervent belief of the Church. One need only walk to the nearest convenience store to find condoms being sold over the counter. The drug stores and pharmacies also sell contraceptives to both married and unmarried couples.

The Supreme Court decision in actual terms would only give the government more time to build their arguments and clinics that would offer contraceptives and other birth control services to whomever wants to avail of it.

If anything the ruling is more a symbolic rather an actual victory for the Church and it knows it. With a stay in the implementation, the Church can now proceed with its ground level grassroots campaign to mobilize public opinion against the law.

The ground campaign is also being complemented by the persistent campaign against candidates who’ve lobbied hard for the passage of the RH law specifically partylist candidates who’ve allied themselves temporarily with the administration lineup in order to land a Senate seat.

Regardless of the Team Buhay/Team Patay dispute, the main battleground over the fate of the RH law will continue to be waged long after the results of the elections have turned out.

For the Church that means actually coming out and supporting candidates whom they feel can call for the immediate repeal of the law. Which also makes this midterm elections yet another venue for dealing with the seemingly never-ending debate over the RH issue.

The SC deliberations will be long and hard, so this year’s elections may help define the fate of the RH law—whether it will stay or it will go.