SOURCE: Press and Public Affairs Bureau
Lawmakers have filed a measure repealing Republic Act 10354, otherwise known as "The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012" or the RH Law.
Reps. Jose L. Atienza, Jr. (Party List, BUHAY), Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (1st District, Leyte), Jonathan A. Dela Cruz (Party List, ABAKADA), Aleta C. Suarez (3rd District, Quezon), 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) filed House Bill 5373 to address positively the problem of severe poverty affecting a great number of Filipino families.
Suarez explained that RH Law advocates consider the growing population as a burden and the cause of poverty in the country.
"They are conveniently forgetting the fact that it is our growing population of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their billions of dollars in remittances that is keeping our country's economy afloat," Suarez said.
"No less than His Holiness, Pope Francis has admonished and reminded us during his recent visit to protect our families," Suarez said.
"See in them your country's greatest treasure. Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from conception to natural death," Suarez quoted Pope Francis as saying during his "Meeting with Families."
"The Pope likewise criticized rich countries and international organizations for what he called ideological colonization aimed at attacking traditional family values in developing countries and influencing lifestyles and morals of young people," Suarez added.
On the other hand, Atienza said the government should be reinforcing the positive Filipino values to the Filipino children instead of teaching the Filipino families to use contraceptives.
"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.
Romualdez, a co-author of the measure, said "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.
Under the measure, all laws, decrees, rules, regulations, executive orders and other inconsistent with the proposed Act are also repealed.
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5
Introduced by Representatives
Manuel Jose "Mannix" M. Dalipe and Marcelino C. Libanan
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
PROVIDING FOR THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR THE FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE SENATE CONCURRING, That the Legislative Calendar for the First Regular Session of the Nineteenth Congress of the Philippines shall be as follows:
CALENDAR OF SESSION
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
| 1. | Commencement of Session | July 25, 2022 - September 30, 2022 |
| 2. | Adjournment of Session | October 1, 2022 - November 6, 2022 |
| 3. | Resumption of Session | November 7, 2022 - December 16, 2022 |
| 4. | Adjournment of Session | December 17, 2022 - January 22, 2023 |
| 5. | Resumption of Session | January 23, 2023 - March 24, 2023 |
| 6. | Adjournment of Session | March 25, 2023 - May 7, 2023 |
| 7. | Resumption of Session | May 8, 2023 - June 2, 2023 |
| (Sine Die Adjournment) | ||
| 8. | Adjournment of Session | June 3, 2023 - July 23, 2023 |
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