Buhay partylist campaigns in Cebu, seeks for 3rd term

The Buhay partylist yesterday swung its campaign to Cebu to seek for a third term in the House of Representatives, and vowed to push further its pro-life advocacy and measures against abortion.

Maria Carissa Oledan Coscolluela, a noted jewelry designer representing Buhay partylist in the campaign, said the government has failed to provide pre-natal care facilities for women, who in turn got into health situation that ends in abortion.

Coscolluela said abortion is illegal in the country, but the government must also have specialty clinics to take care of pregnant women and prevent complications during delivery.

Coscolluela said that better health care for pregnant women would deter abortion, thus protect the lives of people who are "great sources of revenue and livelihood of the country."

Buhay partylist was organized on October 20, 1999 and got seats in Congress over the last two legislative terms.

The group said it represents the sector of babies, mothers and children, as well as the sick, the disabled and all those who have no protection on their own.

Coscolluela said Buhay is not confined to pro-life advocacy alone, explaining that it also attends and provides services to the elderly, especially the sick ones, through a center for them.

She said Buhay had also invested in the field of education through scholarship or study grants to deserving students from various social classes.

In the past two Congresses, Buhay succeeded in pushing for the scrapping of the death penalty law, and in containing the determined move for Charter change, said Coscolluela.

She added that Buhay also provides medical services for indigents, skills training and development, grants-in-aid and financial assistance to the poor, among others.

Some of its infrastructure initiatives-classrooms, dialysis centers, farm-to-market roads, health care centers-have put Buhay a partner of local governments in serving the people, Coscolluela said. — Gregg M. Rubio/RAE