Congress is now on recess until January 22, 2007. It resumes for three more weeks (or only 9 more Plenary sessions) until February 9, 2007, then adjourns for four months. It’s unlikely that any of the Bills can pass both the Lower House and the Senate, but we must stay vigilant and militant.
The nine remaining Session days are Jan. 22-24, Jan. 29-31 and Feb. 5-7, 2007. The Bills in Plenary are HB 3773 (“Responsible Parenthood and Population Management”), HB 5285 (“Magna Carta for Women”), HB 634 (“Anti-Discrimination”), and HB 5012 (“Women and Gender Education in the Workplace”).
Various pro-life and pro-family groups holding the Vigil for Life in the Plenary Halls of Congress were steadfast in monitoring the Session proceedings. We are thankful for the support of the entire network led by the Council of the Laity (LAIKO), CBCP-ECFL, and Pro-Life Philippines.
By their presence and with the exchange of information, the Vigil for Life participants were able to demonstrate visible support for the laudable efforts of our pro-family Congressmen who have been challenging these Bills whenever they have come up for debate.
Pro-Family Bills Show Initial Progress in 2006
1. HB 5607
On July 6, 2006, the Committee on Revision of Laws approved House Bill 5607: the “Mandatory Marriage Counselling Act” requiring marrying couples to undergo counseling prior to the issuance of a marriage license. The Bill’s author is Cong. Rozzano Rufino Biazon. The Bill has been in the calendar at Plenary since August 2006.
2. HB 4643
We were looking forward to December 6, 2006. This was to be the first Technical Working Group meeting at the Committee on Health for House Bill (HB) 4643, The Anti Abortive Drugs and Devices Act. However, the Committee called off the meeting due to the previous night’s late adjournment due to the discussions on charter change.
This pro-family Bill authored by Cong. Rene Velarde (Buhay Party-List) was successfully introduced at a Committee hearing on September 20, 2006. Among the most effective pro-family physicians present at that hearing was Dr. Angie Aguirre of Human Life International. She was able to explain the definition of pregnancy and the adverse effects of contraceptives. It was also clear from the meeting that women’s group Likhaan advocates so-called therapeutic abortion, which surprised even the Committee members.
3. HB 5028
Two Committee hearings have been held on HB 5028, The Rights of Conscience Act. We await the formation of a Technical Working Group to discuss the Bill’s provisions, but because of the opposition against the Bill, we believe it will need to be reintroduced at the 14th Congress in 2007-2010.
At the first public hearing on May 23, 2006, at which ALFI was present, author Cong. Hermilando Mandanas successfully introduced the Bill and obtained Committee approval for it. At the Committee meeting on June 6, Congressmen-authors of HB 3773 who were not present in May refused to sign the Committee Report, claiming they wanted more discussion on the Bill. At the third hearing on Sept. 26, 2006, women’s groups and PLCPD objected strongly against the Bill, in contrast to the support expressed by the Phil. Medical Association, the Phil. Nurses’ association and pro-family groups including ALFI, Pro-Life and the CBCP-ECFL.
There were several other pro-family Bills that were introduced but did not become scheduled for Committee hearings, among them HB 5327, The Pregnancy Care Centers Act authored by Cong. Eduardo Zialcita.
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