Friday, May 20, 2011
DAYS after ending talks with Malacañang-brokered negotiations, the Catholic Church on Friday said it will hold more protests to signify its opposition to the much-debated Reproductive Health (RH) bill.
At the diocese of Malolos in Bulacan, with over 100 parish churches and 200 Catholic priests, a prayer rally will be held on June 11 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral grounds.
Bishop Jose Oliveros said a mass will be held at 6 p.m. to cap the occasion.
"The activity is under the auspices of the Diocesan Commission on Family and Life," the prelate said in an article posted at the website of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the group already had an archdiocesan rally against the House Bill 4244 as early as March within the 93 parishes under the province.
"We also placed streamers in strategic locations calling on everyone to reject the RH bill," the 71 year-old prelate said.
In Masbate, diocesan administrator Monsignor Claro Caluya said they are still finalizing their schedule of activities, though they are still looking at the possibility of conducting an anti-RH rally on June 7.
For his part, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said while they have no massive protests against the RH bill, they have placed streamers at Basilan's eight parishes with the message, "No to RH Bill! Yes to Life!"
Pacquiao urged to switch support
The House of Representatives resumed the plenary debates on the bill this week, where boxing icon and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao grilled main author Albay Representative Edcel Lagman.
Some groups said Pacquiao was definitely clobbered by the veteran lawmaker when he supposedly used rehashed talking points by the anti-RH advocates.
But just the same, party-list group Akbayan commended Pacquiao for the effort that he made to build the case of those against the bill. It also urged the neophyte congressman to switch sides.
"We know if Representative Pacquiao wasn't fed misleading statistics and erroneous studies emanating from those who wish to derail the RH bill, he would stand by many poor families who are fighting for this legislation," it said in a statement.
Thus, Akbayan finds it "distressing" that he is opposed to the bill, a proposed piece of legislation aimed at empowering poor families to make informed choices on family planning and reproductive health.
"His dedication to bringing proper health services to those who need it the most is no different from the goals of the majority people advocating the RH bill; in fact, it is exactly that," the group said.