RH bill may be put to vote after 2013 budget approval



By Paolo Romero 
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 14, 2012 12:00 AM



MANILA, Philippines - The Reproductive Health (RH) bill may be put to a vote on second reading after the House of Representatives passes the proposed P2-trillion national budget for 2013, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte said the chamber is working on a final version of the RH bill that would include amendments pushed by moderates in the ranks of those opposed to the measure.
The House has ended its debates on the measure and entered the period of amendments. Lawmakers strongly opposed to the bill, however, managed to delay the proceedings.
“My hopes are that we can have a definite bill that can be voted on yes or no. As it is, there is no bill to talk of because it’s still subject to amendments and we don’t know how it looks because there are many amendments that have been considered by sponsors, and once they have all been put together we will know that is the bill that will be presented before the body for yes or no,” he said.

“I’m trying to see to it that the period of amendments progresses so that there’s a definite bill being talked of, not just an RH bill where everybody is free to describe it the way he wants to describe it,” he said.

The House leader said he hopes there would be a dialogue among stakeholders and lawmakers on the RH bill when Congress returns from a break next month.
The chamber is expected to approve the proposed budget by the second week of October.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the bill, earlier said the new version of the measure would have a limited application and target beneficiaries and other amendments that would soften opposition to it.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said the compromise version would be presented later this month to Catholic bishops who are against the RH bill in its present form.
Gonzales, however, conceded that hardliners among Catholic bishops and lawmakers “will oppose the bill, whatever its form.”

Proponents of the measure last month already put in at least 10 amendments to address concerns and criticisms of those opposed to the RH bill.

----------------------------------------------------
Likhaan
Center for Women's Health Inc.
88 Times St., West Triangle Homes
Quezon City 1104 Philippines
Tel: (63 2) 926-6230
Fax: (63 2) 411-3151
        likhaan.mail@gmail.com (backup)

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