Women advocates slam delay on RH bill

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Friday, November 25, 2011

WOMEN advocates in Iloilo City were disgusted over the delaying tactics of some lawmakers in preventing the voting of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in both chambers of Congress.

Dr. Betty Polido, president of Family Planning Organization of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter, said the delay is causing distress to women who are the main beneficiaries of the proposed law.

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Technicalities are used by some members of the House of Representatives to delay the RH bill’s passage by discussing trivial matters, Polido said.

Polido said she is joining the sentiments of Elizabeth Angsioco, national chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) for their advocacy.

In last Tuesday’s session at the House, it clearly showed how legislators like Representatives Pablo Garcia, Raul Daza, Amado Bagatsing and Sergio Apostol do this strategies - when a quorum was present, they used privilege speeches, personal and collective privilege and interpellation to use up precious time.

Polido said the women are aggressively pushing for actions to bring the message that advocates will no longer tolerate such tactics and will not stop until the RH bill is voted on. (Lydia C. Pendon)