Color purple drive for women’s rights, RH bill

MANILA, Philippines—Amid the raging debate on the reproductive health (RH) bill, former President Fidel V. Ramos Wednesday called on President Benigno Aquino III to certify the measure to Congress as urgent if he wants “to do the right thing.”

Speaking at the launch of the “purple ribbon” campaign of family planning advocates, Ramos called on Mr. Aquino to mobilize support for the bill, largely hailed by civil society and women’s groups but opposed by the Roman Catholic Church.

Purple symbolizes women’s rights, organizers said.

“Mr. President, with due respect, for you to do the right thing, you must now certify the RH bill as urgent,” said Ramos to the applause of some 500 people, mostly women, at Crowne Plaza hotel in Pasig City.

He said Aquino, who has expressed support for the bill, should not fear critiques as the people are behind him.

“Let me appeal to our highest elected leader who occupies Malacañang, our beloved President Aquino. As your boss—that’s us—we ask his excellency to lead the campaign for the enactment of the RH bill,” Ramos said.

Ramos noted that the country was among nations who signed an agreement in Cairo back in 1994, when he was President, to cut infant mortality and maternal deaths that the bill hopes to address.

He cited figures counting some 500,000 maternal deaths every year, 97 percent of which are recorded in developing countries.

Some 4,700 Filipino mothers die of pregnancy or childbirth complications, said former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral.

Cabral joined former Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez, Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan, RH bill authors House Minority Floor Leader Edcel Lagman and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, artists and representatives of academic and medical communities, civil society groups and NGOs at the launch.

“This is to empower each of us to make our own choices about our own bodies and not allow anyone bully us to doing otherwise. It’s no biggie really, it’s common sense. It’s no great lightning bolt from heaven,” said international theater artist Lea Salonga, before singing the Beatles’ classic “Imagine.”

Health Secretary Enrique Ona reaffirmed the Aquino administration’s commitment to reproductive health and said the government has remained focused on poor families who do not have access to proper family planning methods.

Unwavering support

“The Aquino administration has never wavered in its vow of enacting a national policy for responsible parenthood and reproductive health. This policy seeks to enable couples and individuals to choose the number, spacing and timing of their children based on the demands of responsible parenthood and informed choice,” Ona said.

“We are having political mappings. We are sure that if a vote is taken now, the RH bill could pass,” Lagman said in a separate press conference.

“It’s hard to disclose numbers. Numbers could make the enemy worry or wary. I am telling you, we can take a vote anytime, the RH bill could pass,” he said.

Lagman said he was assured by the House leadership that plenary debates on the bill would resume on Tuesday.

Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, one of the staunch opponents of the bill, said he expected rough sailing for the measure on the floor. With a report from Cynthia D. Balana