House Bill 3773

Bill is at Plenary and may be taken up any time when Congress resumes on July 24, 2006.

The article “Defending the Family” appeared on June 21, 2006 in the Business World Opinion Page on pages 4 and 6.

It is reproduced here with permission.

Please see attached signature sheet. You may wish to print, copy and distribute this to your family members, relatives and friends in Metro Manila and in the provinces for their signature.

Feb. 18, 2005

READ! What the Catholic faithful should know.

“HOLD ON TO YOUR PRECIOUS GIFT”
A PASTORAL STATEMENT by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Population Control Legislation and the “Ligtas Buntis” Program

POSITION PAPER ON HOUSEBILL NO. 3773
By Teodora: In Defense of the Authentic Woman, Inc.

We concerned physicians oppose House Bill 3773 (Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act) due primarily to its provisions providing for state-funded distribution of “the full range of family planning methods, techniques and devices” in our country.

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines Inc. (ALFI) has suggested that legislators discontinue attempts to impose government intervention to reduce population growth, citing statistics from the United Nations (UN) that show the country’s fertility rate (TFR) dropping to near-replacement levels within the next decade.

ALFI Youth organized the first Inter-School On-the-Spot Essay Writing Contest on Feb. 12, 2005 at the Narra Youth Club in Las Pinas. Competing were 24 female high school students from six Las Pinas and Alabang schools. Nadia Velasquez won first place in the Senior Category for her essay, "Filipino Youth: Speaking Out Against Population Control.” Erika Hoffmann won first place in the Junior Category for “Chaste Teens Today, Strong Families Tomorrow.” Both are from Southville International.

Disturbing developments struck in the first quarter of 2005, especially the quick Committee approval of House Bill (HB) 3773, the “Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act of 2005,” and the introduction of the “Ligtas Buntis” anti-pregnancy, family planning information campaign of the Department of Health.

ALFI organized two well-attended public forums, “Filipino Family Under Attack: A Forum on Anti-Family Bills” on January 29, 2005 in Taal, Batangas and in Rosario, Batangas on March 6, 2005. Participants were invited from Taal, Lemery, Cuenca, and several other towns. Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas (2nd district) and Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa were present. The forums are meant to disseminate information against anti-family legislation.

The DOH Program launched on Feb. 21, 2005 a nationwide Ligtas Buntis (translated as “Keep Safe from Pregnancy”) information campaign to promote family planning house to house. While the DOH claims that safe motherhood is part of this program, it is clear from DOH’s own published materials (see www.doh.gov.ph) that the emphasis is to teach birth control methods and endorse smaller families.

House Bill (HB) 3773 is the substitute Bill that consolidates the previous HB 2029, HB 16, HB 2042 and HB 2550 by different authors. The Bill was approved at the Committee on Women after only two public hearings held on consecutive Tuesdays, January 25 and February 1, and two Executive Sessions on Feb. 8 and Feb. 15, 2005.

By Antonio Montalvan II Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page A15 of the April 4, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

House Bill 3773 has brought us anew to the season of discourses on population issues. On the surface, this may appear useful to the citizens who, it is argued, need to make an "informed choice" when deciding on such issue as family size. Legislators, population management advocates, church-based groups have been trading views on population issues through various media forums, giving us the impression of a raging debate that makes for a healthy choice, said Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit.

ABS-CBN INTERACTIVE – Joint with Manila Times – APRIL2005

Pro-life Rally Opposes Two-child Policy Bill

Thousands of people marched at the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila, Monday afternoon to oppose the passage of House bill 3773, which seeks to limit the number of children in a Filipino family.