House fails to tackle RH bill due to lack of quorum

House of Representatives. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Legislators pushing for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill went home defeated on Wednesday night as the House of Representatives again lacked the presence of a quorum.

“There’s nothing to do, there’s no quorum,” Bagong Henerasyon Partylist Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy said while walking out of the plenary.

“We put on our best dress for nothing, we wasted our efforts sending text messages…they did not show up,” she said.

“Hoping for quorum today. It’s not the end of the 15th Congress yet. Hello, anybody home?” Pangasinan Representative Kimi Cojuangco said earlier over her Twitter account.

There were 131 legislators present but they needed 141 to form a quorum.

Herrera-Dy said they were looking forward to finally tackle the new version of the RH Bill but will have to wait until session resumes next week.

“We hope next week. It’s another week,” she said.

The two female lawmakers last week called on fellow lawmakers to show up during sessions at the House of Representatives, urging even the RH Bill’s staunch critics to attend and put the proposed measure to a vote.