Originally posted here CBCP
Congress deliberating on RH (CBCP News file photo)
QUEZON City, Feb. 25, 2015–Following Pope Francis’ fight against “ideological colonization,” a group of lawmakers who have taken up the cause of life, filed House Bill 5373 in a bid to repeal Republic Act 10354, or “The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012″ (RH Law), and to “address positively the problem of severe poverty affecting a great number of Filipino families.”
In a statement issued by the 16th Congress’s press office, Quezon Province 3rd district Rep. Aleta C. Suarez, one of the proponents of the bill, said the “RH Law Repeal Act” responds to Pope Francis’ call to protect the family.
Ruin of family
According to her, the head of the Catholic Church himself criticized rich countries and international organizations for what he called the “ideological colonization” that seeks the ruin of traditional family values and to influence lifestyles and morals of young people worldwide.
“No less than Pope Francis, has admonished and reminded us during his recent visit to protect our families,” she said.
Country’s greatest treasure
Suarez stressed, citing His Holiness during the “Meeting with the Families,” to see in the families the “country’s greatest treasure.”
“Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from conception to natural death,” she quoted the Pope as saying.
Meanwhile, BUHAY Party-list Rep. Jose L. Atienza, principal author of the bill, believes that rather than teach Filipino families to use contraception, the government would be better reinforcing positive Filipino values to Filipino children.
Culture of life
“Instead of teaching them to use contraceptives and to look at pregnancy as a disease and a burden, we should be promoting responsible parenthood and the culture of life,” Atienza said.
Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez of the 1st District of Leyte, another supporter, explained “giving the Filipino families massive doses of anti-life programs would only destroy the country’s future.”
“Instead of allocating billions of pesos to buy condoms and contraceptives in implementing the RH Law, these funds should be put to better use in providing genuine health services for the millions of poor families,” Romualdez said.
Total repeal
Under House Bill 5373, all laws, decrees, rules, regulations, executive orders, and other inconsistent with the proposed Act are also repealed.
The other authors are as follows: Jonathan A. Dela Cruz (Party List, ABAKADA), Victor C. Ortega (1st District, La Union), Philip A. Pichay (1st District, Surigao del Sur), Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur), and Lani Mercado-Revilla (2nd District, Cavite)Suarez explained that RH Law advocates consider the growing population as a burden and the cause of poverty in the country. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)