CBCP PULLS OUT OF RH BILL TALKS WITH MALACA�ANG AGAIN
MANILA, MAY 11, 2011 (STAR) By Evelyn Macairan - For the second time, the Catholic Bishops� Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pulled out of the dialogue with Malaca�ang on the Reproductive Health (RH) or Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill because of President Aquino�s strong support of the family planning measure.
CBCP secretary-general Monsignor Juanito Figura said yesterday they were put off by Aquino�s recent declaration that he would implement his five-point agenda in the bill.
Figura said they learned about the five-point agenda back in December but it was only before Holy Week that Aquino publicly declared that he intended to pursue it.
�Inasmuch as President Aquino has already publicly declared his intention to implement his own five-point agenda on RP, the bishops do not see any reason to further undertake a serious study/dialogue on HB 4244 (Responsible Parenthood bill) with the administration as was proposed by President Aquino himself,� the CBCP said in a statement.
The statement was issued by the CBCP panel comprised of CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Doctrine of the Faith (ECDF) chairman Cavite Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Laity (ECL) chairman Para�aque Bishop Jesse Mercado, Antipolo Bishop Gabriel Reyes, Monsignor Figura and CBCP Legal officer Jo Imbong.
Yesterday morning, Figura and Imbong met with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Julia Abad, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The government panel had supposedly asked the bishops to keep the communication lines open but Figura said he did not give them an answer because he does not know the sentiments of the other bishops.
He said the bishops would decide if they would return to the negotiating table during their Permanent Council meeting scheduled this month.
In January, the CBCP indefinitely suspended its dialogue with Malaca�ang because of the fast- tracking of proceedings on the Reproductive Health bill�as it known prior to the drafting of the consolidated version by Malaca�ang�in Congress.
During yesterday�s meeting, the CBCP said the good provisions of the Responsible Parenthood bill are �inextricably woven� with �bad provisions.�
The CBCP said the bill contains provisions that promote the use of contraceptives that supposedly cause abortion.
Bishops also said the bill promotes the establishment of a �mindset and a value system� that are �secularist, materialistic, individualistic and hedonistic in the guise of development and modernity.�
The Church panel also maintained that the country does not need the bill because all provisions necessary to promote reproductive health are covered by government programs and only need aggressive enforcement.
Bishops also said the country should not yield to pressure from international organizations to pass the bill into law.
Palace spokesman Lacierda said the government panel indeed asked the Church to keep the communication lines open but it appears that it has taken itself out of the debate on the bill.
�Mukhang wala na talaga (It seems like the Church is no longer going back to the dialogue.) The Catholic Church has unilaterally acted itself out of the debate. Now it�s up to Congress (to decide on the bill),� he said. �But we told them the communication lines are still open.�
In a speech delivered at the graduation rites of University of the Philippines on April 17, Aquino said he is not afraid of excommunication threats from the Church.
�I am determined to pass into law the Responsible Parenthood bill. I am aware that there are people against it but it is my obligation as leader to enlighten all sectors about this,� he said in Filipino. �Even if others say I should be excommunicated, we have to hear those people, who many think, have closed their minds,� he added. � with Delon Porcalla
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