RH politics in thanksgiving Mass

The top echelon of the Cebu Archdiocese need not worry about President Benigno Aquino III making a pitch for the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in tomorrow’s thanksgiving Mass. The President, as this paper’s editorial last Tuesday pointed out, is expected to play the role of a gracious guest. I don’t think he will abuse the cordiality of his hosts by making inflated sales talk for RH in the very backyard of the most consistent and vocal opponents of the population control policy.

However, I’m curious whether President Aquino will stay in his seat throughout the Mass and hear Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal lead the faithful in praying the oratio imperata on the RH bill. (Oratio Imperata is Latin for obligatory prayer.)

In March 03, 2011, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma signed circular number 05 with the instruction for priests to say the prayer in all Masses. At the same time, the prelate urged priests to organize prayer vigils from March 7 to 18, 2011 asking people to make penance to defeat the legislation. Back then, Congress resumed deliberation on HB 4244, and with President Aquino openly supporting the proposal, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines rose to fight it in all fronts – in mass media and public demonstrations including private and public prayers.

In highlighting the supernatural dimension of the bill on society, Archbishop Palma framed his circular on the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 6:12: “For we are not fighting against human beings, but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers of this dark age.”

Will P-Noy stoically stand at the end of the mass when the public recites the oratio imperata on the RH bill? That would be interesting to watch because I’m quite sure everyone will take a quick or even a long look at the President especially during the portion where the prayer implores heaven to grant Philippine leaders the gift of wisdom “that we may formulate laws that acknowledge the supreme value of human life, the dignity of the person and its rights that will conform to Your divine will.”

My favorite wag remarked that perhaps Cardinal Vidal, who will preside over the thanksgiving Mass , will say the oratio imperata in Cebuano so P-Noy would be spared the awkward moment.

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Despite Malacañang’s support, the defeat of HB 4244 is imminent in the 15th Congress.

Rep. Edcel Lagman, chief proponent of the bill and other House advocates like Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco and Ang Kabataan Party List Rep. Raymond Palatino are gritting their teeth in frustration because they think House leaders like Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte and Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales are trying to derail the legislation.

For the past three weeks, the House has been unable to muster a quorum but instead of calling the attention of chronic absentees, pro-RH advocates are looking the other way.

Reporters who cover the Congress beat discovered that House members like Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma, Ang Galing party-list Rep. Mikey Arroyo and Cagayan Rep. Jackie Ponce Enrile were listed as having the most number of absences in the current year.

Early this week, I caught former National Economic Development Authority director general and University of the Philippines economics professor Solita “Winnie” Monsod on television interviewing House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte on the issue of absenteeism. Monsod was trying to prompt Belmonte to exercise his authority over erring members by pressuring them or even physically hauling them to the Lower Chamber if necessary, but the veteran congressman said he prefers the power of friendly persuasion.

Speaker Belmonte can’t be too strict because as far as Malacañang-backed initiatives and legislation are concerned, the House has delivered. From the impeachment of Renato Corona, the National Appropriations Act, sin taxes to the K to 12 bill, the Lower Chamber is in tune with P-Noy. That is why he is not stepping on the accelerator for the RH Bill because he understands the congressmen’s will to survive. The proposal courts the ire of Church leaders and congressmen don’t need more problems on top of basic ones.

This is not to condone absenteeism, but even if lawmakers dutifully attend sessions they will be forever distracted at the thought of their rivals going on house to house visits, hosting parties left and right while they, the incumbents, are bored to death listening to sessions and committee reports.

In the course of Mareng Winnie’s TV program, a video clip of Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a stalwart of the Liberal Party, was shown. Paraphrasing his remarks, Umali said it all: “We are seeking votes in next year’s elections, and they’re not in Congress.”

Congress has less than two weeks before it adjourns for Christmas. Lawmakers will return to work Jan. 18, 2013. Then it’s off to the hustings on Feb. 8 for the May 13 midterm elections.

When RH Bill proponents will mull over the death of HB 4244 in the 15th Congress, I hope they would be more forthright by saying that one of the reasons is, “Naapsan sa eleksyon” (It was overtaken by the election season).