Press Releases

ALFI Commends Committee on Health on Swift Passage of Rights of Conscience Act

May 23, 2006

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines (ALFI) commended legislators of the Committee on Health for its swift passage of House Bill 5028, the “Rights of Conscience Act of 2006” during the Committee Meeting today.

A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to encourage private, non-profit corporations to set-up more pregnancy health care centers by providing tax credits. Parañaque’s First District Representative Eduardo C. Zialcita authored House Bill 5327 or The Pregnancy Care Centers Act of 2006. He said the bill will empower women to make decisions consistent with the intrinsic value of every human life and the inherent dignity of the conjugal act.

Get a copy of HB 5028: Rights of Conscience Act

A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to protect from harassment medical professionals and other health workers who by reason of moral, ethical or religious beliefs is unwilling to participate in any way in health care services to which they conscientiously object.

(September 18, 2005) Officers and members of the Alliance for the Family Foundation, led by its President Rosie Luistro, commended President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because of “her very brave and powerful speech” before the gathering of Leaders in the Inter-Faith dialogue at the United Nations on Sept. 13, 2005, as reported in Philippine media.

Read full Press Release by ALFI

Read Coverage by The Manila Times

(excerpt)...She [President GMA] noted that religions are the bedrock of cultures and civilization, which she said must be respected as people pursue development.

Mrs. Arroyo also raised the issue of reproductive health, noting the Philippine government has been criticized for not supporting artificial methods of birth control to address the growing population.

"We expect the United Nations to respect the deep Catholicism of the vast majority of the Filipino people. The funding given by the UN to our national government for reproductive health shall be dedicated to train married couples in natural family planning technology which the World Health Organization (WHO) has found effective compared to artificial contraceptives," she said.

(Sept 16, 2005) Officers and members of the Alliance for the Family Foundation, led by its President Rosie Luistro, commended President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because of “her very brave and powerful speech” before the gathering of Leaders in the Inter-Faith dialogue at the United Nations on Sept. 13, 2005, as reported in Philippine media.

Cardinal Vidal congratulates PGMA on her UN Speech on Reproductive Health Projects.

Read Cardinal Vidal's Press Release

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.

House Bill 634, the “Anti-Discrimination Act” was approved at the Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights after just one public hearing on May 9, 2005.

Read ALFI's 1 page Press Release clearly explaining to our lawmakers why they should vote NO to HB 634.

House Bill 3773 was approved at the Committee on Women after only two public hearings on January 25 and February 1 and two Executive Sessions on February 8 and 15, 2005. The Committee on Health appealed for a joint hearing on the Bill. However, the Committee on Rules voted to calendar the Bill.

Read ALFI's 1 page Press Release clearly explaining to our lawmakers why they should vote NO to HB 3773.

The Committee on Women approved last February 2005 the proposed House Bill (HB) 3773, the "Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act of 2005." This proposed anti-family Bill will advance to the Plenary level of the Lower House for discussion when Congress resumes sessions on July 25.

Read ALFI's 2 page Press Release calling for the public to take action on HB3773

Approved and Adopted this 30th day of July, 2005 at DVMI School Auditorium, Alabang, Muntinlupa City by the Participants of the Forum on “Understanding the Threats of HB 3773.”

Read ALFI's 2-page Manifesto against HB3773.

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc. or ALFI organized a Congress Vigil and mounted an education campaign against the passage of HB 3773 on July 30 at its forum called “Understanding the Threats of HB 3773.”

Manila City Mayor Jose “Lito” Atienza, Jr., ALFI’s guest speaker, described the bill’s dangers to society. He said the Bill will set in place a comprehensive national policy to liberalize laws on family planning and “reproductive health services,” stopping short of legalization of abortion but propagating the same mentality. He said the Bill promotes two children as the ideal family size and provides free ligation to indigent mothers, which discriminates against large families and the poor.

Read the 1 page press release.