Senators sign the RH Bill (June 07, 2011)

Last June 07, 2010, a group of Philippine Senators signed an approval regarding the Reproductive Health bill about properly informing Filipinos of the use of contraceptives and other methods in family planning. There were twenty senators, with two nonconforming opinions, who signed the said approval.

Among those who signed were Senators Pia Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Edgardo Angara, Gregorio Honasan, Teofisto Guingonna III, Ferdinand Marcos, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Sonny Antonio Trillanes IV, and Serge Osmena, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Lito Lapid, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Alan Cayetano, and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. The two nonconformists were Senators Tito Sotto and Alan Cayetano, who heads the Senate committees on health and youth. Though they signed the approval, eight of these Senators signed with hesitation. They were Franklin Drilon, Gringo Honasan, Antonio Trillanes, Lito Lapid, Chiz Escudero, Miguel Zubiri, Bong Revilla, and Ralph Recto. Only 12 signatures are needed for the bill to be passed on to the next reading.

For me personally, I am happy with the progress the RH Bill is making. The signing of these twenty senators is a next step for the RH Bill finally becoming a law. There is still quite a long process to go, but at least it is getting there. I really believe that if the RH Bill becomes a law, it will mean a great development for the Philippines. It might not completely resolve the problem of overpopulation in the country, but it will definitely help in slowly alleviating it that it will not totally be a problem for the country.

Even though twenty senators already signed an approval for the RH Bill, I just hope that more people outside the senate, in the government, the private sectors, and the rest of the country, could think the way these senators do and also be in support of the RH Bill. They should see this bill as, for now, the best way to solve or alleviate the problem of overpopulation in our country.

Besides signing the approval, I hope that these senators who I suppose support the RH Bill, should share to everyone their stand on this and why they support it. I think that a lot of Filipinos are undecided on this matter and are just waiting for someone who has a high authority to speak on the subject of the RH Bill because they would want to hear it from someone who has great knowledge on it. If they say their stand, then a lot of Filipinos around the country would probably gain more knowledge on the RH Bill and will be rational on their decision on whether to support it or not. These senators, if they believe that the RH Bill can help alleviate the problem of overpopulation in our country, should help convince more people that the passing of the RH Bill into the law is the right way to go. They are in a better position to convince those undecided Filipinos and if I were them, I would definitely help in making up their minds to support the RH Bill.