Women to House members: stop maternal deaths, pass RH Bill now!

By DSWP
March 8, 2011

QUEZON CITY  –  Unmindful of the scorching sun and smog, groups of women from grassroots communities joined the long march of more than 6,000 women and male allies as they called on the members of the House of Representatives to stop delaying the passage of the much clamored reproductive health bill.

More than 1,000 women members of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) joined the “Women’s Long March towards the Passage of the RH Bill” to express their frustrations over the delays in the passage of House Bill 4244 or the “Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011.”

Each day of delay, the lives of eleven women are wasted due to lack of access to comprehensive reproductive health education and services, laments Elizabeth Angsioco, DSWP National Chairperson.

“March 8 is supposed to be a day for women to celebrate but such celebration is meaningless knowing that each day, eleven Filipino women, mostly poor, die due to pregnancy and childbirth complications. Moreover, the bill that can help arrest this massacre of women is held hostage by some legislators who resort to all kinds of delaying tactics to block the RH bill’s passage,” expressed Angsioco.

According to her, DSWP members are dismayed by the fact that some members of the House of Representatives would set aside their mandate and instead become instruments of the Catholic hierarchy in blocking the bill.  It is disgusting that some lawmakers resort to all types of antics - from being absent from sessions so there will be no quorum, to filibustering, even expressing needless complaints during plenary to eat up time, Angsioco said.

Angsioco laments that RH bill has been languishing in the Halls of Congress for more 16 years now. “So many lives have been wasted. The Catholic church will never change their opposition on the use of contraceptives, but they are not the ones directly affected by the issue, it is the women, especially poor women,” she said.

“Again, as we commemorate women’s day, we demand accountability from our lawmakers. Your mandate is to serve the people – us, NOT the Catholic hierarchy.  Your responsibility is to see to it that bills are properly processed, not blocked. You must see the legislative process through. The RH bill should be voted on. This is all we ask. If you have the numbers, you should not delay,” Angsioco emphasized.

Almost all sectors – government agencies, academe, business, youth, interfaith organizations, media, medical organizations, civil society and community organizations are supportive of the bill, shared Angsioco.  The big majority of Filipino people want the RH bill to pass.