Catholic Church to keep tight watch over Aquino administration

MANILA, Philippines - Leaders of the Catholic Church vowed yesterday to keep a tight watch over the incoming Aquino administration.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will “make noises” if the administration would adopt policies that run counter to the principles of the Church.

“If there would be issues involving the new administration that the CBCP feels strongly about, we expect the bishops to give their reactions,” Iniguez said at a media forum in Manila.

Iniguez, who chairs the CBCP’s public affairs committee, has been openly critical of the Arroyo administration.

Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, CBCP media director, said they will closely monitor the first 100 days of Aquino, as they did in past administrations. “It is part and parcel of our mission to be vigilant,” Quitorio said. “Otherwise we will be remiss with our duties as a Church if we don’t do that.”

Iniguez said the bishops will likely keep an eye on the development of the Reproductive Health Bill under the Aquino government.

“If they continue to push for this Reproductive Health Bill, the Church will definitely make its stand known and oppose it,” he said.

Meanwhile, a senior lawmaker is hoping that the new president may finally pave the way for the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health Bill in the next Congress.

Re-elected Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, a co-author of the RH bill in the House of Representatives, vowed to re-file the measure when the 15th Congress opens on July 1.

“In the history of advocacy for this bill, supportive legislators continue to grow in numbers in each Congress. I have no doubt that we will get more allies now more than ever,” Garin said.

An obstetrician-gynecologist by profession, Garin said legislators are now more aware of the urgency of passing the RH bill.

“Also, the favorable position of the president-elect on the bill that he pronounced even during the thick of the campaign season will be key to getting our colleagues to sign and push for its passage,” she said.

Before, during and even after the campaign, Aquino had repeatedly said he is for “responsible parenthood,” and that he is leaving it up to couples to choose the family planning method they are most comfortable with.

The bill reached plenary debates under the period of interpellation in the 14th Congress but was never approved.

The measure was first filed in the 8th Congress (1987-1992) or during the time of the late President Cory Aquino and has been re-filed in subsequent Congresses for the last 23 years.

However, the principal author of House Bill 5043 on Reproductive Health and Population Development, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, is still hopeful that the measure will be passed.

“This is not the end of the road for the RH bill. We still have the 15th Congress (July 2010-June 2013),” Lagman told reporters earlier.

Lagman’s bloc has supported the move of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral to distribute contraceptive pills to interested couples all over the country.

Lagman said this is “consistent with the freedom of informed choice on which the RH bill is firmly anchored.” – With Delon Porcalla