Top winner Buhay partylist to press for repeal of RH Law

MANILA, Philippines – Buhay partylist Representative Lito Atienza claimed Tuesday that they won three seats in the House of Representatives because of the “Catholic vote.”

“I would credit it greatly to the Catholic vote,” Atienza told reporters in an interview after the Commission on Elections proclaimed Buhay partylist as the top winner in the recently concluded May 2013 elections.

Buhay garnered 1,265,992 votes or equivalent to 4.74 percent of the total votes cast giving them three congressional seats.

Buhay was proclaimed last Friday for garnering at least two percent of the votes giving them one guaranteed seat.

It is the only partylist that clinched three seats. Following closely in the partylist race was A Teacher which obtained 1,040,898 votes (3.90 percent) making them eligible to two seats.

“The support we got is from those who are prolife in the country who believe in what we are fighting for,” Atienza said.

Asked what their priority bills in Congress would be, he said that among their agenda is the repealing of the Reproductive Health (RH) law.

“During our campaign we heard from our country men and they really don’t know about the provisions of the law,” he said.

“People don’t know what the negative impacts are of this law, that is why we will move for its repeal, if at all, we will move for very big amendments that are required,” Atienza said.

He added that people were not aware that the RH law will require sex education to be taught in public schools and that a large amount of money will be allocated to purchase condoms and [birth control] pills.