Statement on the President's Priority Legislative Agenda

The Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) is disappointed by the decision of the President to drop what it calls "responsible parenthood" from its list of priority legislation. The bishops issued a threatening pastoral letter against reproductive health (RH) and the President retreated in panic.

The hasty retreat is a disservice to the office. It was done without any dialogue with women for whom RH is a daily, life-and-death concern. The youth, the majority of Catholics, those of other faiths who support RH—all were rendered voiceless by the unilateral retreat. When the President said "Kayo ang boss ko", we thought he was referring to the poor and powerless majority. We were mistaken.

Instead of panicking, the government should learn from the bishops' pastoral letter. It revealed that their opposition to RH is based on the core principle that human life "is the most sacred physical gift with which God … endows a human being" and that "artificial obstacles to prevent human life from being formed and being born … contradicts this fundamental truth of human life."

It is clear that immovable religious beliefs are the bedrock of the bishops' opposition to RH. Further dialogues will never change their stance. What these sham dialogues will do is trap the government into delay and inaction, or push it to drop the freedom of choice principle in the President's promise of responsible parenthood.

RHAN is disappointed but not disheartened. Meaningful changes in reproductive health policies will depend not on a few powerful men deciding the fate of women. RHAN believes in the people. The Filipinos' overwhelming stand favoring RH will ultimately convince enough enlightened and strong-willed legislators, and the RH Bill will pass.