Monday, September 15, 2008 Arroyo firm on natural family planning stand
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains consistent in her advocacy for natural family planning methods, preferring to leave discussions and the decision on the proposed Reproductive Health (RH) Bill to Congress, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said.
Dureza said it is also still too early to discuss and decide whether the President would veto the bill should it pass both Houses of Congress.
"She (Arroyo) is against artificial means of family planning so that's very clear and she's very consistent with that. Now since the matter is now in Congress, then we will leave that to Congress to make that determination because we are independent and separate departments," he said.
He added that the Executive respects Congress as well as the different views of the lawmakers, including their voting on the bill, when it comes to that.
"On the matter whether the President will veto it, it's too premature as of this time to even make a determination or make a position on whether there will be a veto or not. Let's just wait for the results of the work of our legislature," Dureza said.
The Catholic Church has stepped up its campaign against the passage of the RH bill, which they claimed would ruin the morality of the Filipinos if passed.
Calbayog Bishop Isabelo Abarquez said he had a hand in the decision of Western Samar Representatives Reynaldo Uy and Sharee Ann Tan to withdraw their support for the bill, which is mainly sponsored by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman. (JMR/Sunnex)
