Amended RH bill to target ‘poorest of the poor’

MANILA - Authors of the reproductive health (RH) bill are working on a set of amendments that will highlight the proposed law as an anti-poverty measure, hoping that this will be amenable to opponents, including the Catholic Church.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said they will introduce a provision that would limit the government’s provision on the use of contraceptives to the “poorest of the poor”.

“Those in the B, upper C and A classes, they couldn’t care less whether there’s an RH law or not. They can spend for these services. It is those who belong to the poorest of the poor that do not have options,” he told reporters Monday.

“We know that the CBCP is amenable to having the bill amended. This is the best thing we can think of…Let’s meet halfway,” Gonzales added.

The poorest of the poor will be identified through the database of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) used for the implementation of the conditional cash transfer program.

The House leader said they would introduce the proposed amendments to the anti-RH camp in Tuesday’s plenary session. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)