• Office of Minority Leader Edcel C. Lagman
• 0916-6406737 / 0918-9120137
• Official Website: http://www.edcellagman.com.ph
• 21 February 2011

           What the US House of Representatives “defunded” was limited to financial assistance to private entities performing abortions but no funds were withheld for contraceptives for family planning and for legal abortion performed in hospitals.

            Fr. Melvin Castro of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is utterly misinformed about the US “defunding” measure or he is conveniently misleading the public.

            The US Congress did not withhold funds for family planning and contraceptive use. Section 1009 of House Resolution 217 which was passed by the Lower House of United Sates merely states that “(a) Prohibition.- The Secretary shall not provide any assistance under this title to an entity unless the entity certifies that, during the period of such assistance, the entity will not perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion.”

           This particular section “does not apply with respect to an abortion where (1) the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape, or an act of incest against a minor” or when the woman is “(2) … is in danger of death unless an abortion is performed…” (Subsection [b] Exception)

           Moreover, hospitals are also exempt from Subsection a of Section 1009. HR 217 clearly mandates that “Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to a hospital, so long as such hospital does not, during the period of assistance described in subsection (a), provide funds to any non-hospital entity that performs an abortion (other than abortion described in subsection b).”

           It is unmistakable that only non-hospital entities will not be granted federal funding for abortions. Clinics and hospitals all over the United States will still receive much needed appropriations not only for family planning and the purchase of contraceptives but also for abortions which remain legal in the United States.

           In fact, there is completely no mention of any cut, let alone the prohibition, of funding for contraceptives and family planning.

           Let me remind Fr. Castro that House Bill 4244 (consolidated RH bill) does not in any way endorse abortion as a family planning method nor does it propose to change the country’s current laws prohibiting abortion.

           What it aims to achieve is the promotion of the right to reproductive health and reproductive self-determination by making available to couples who want to plan their families all forms of family planning options as long as they are legal, medically safe and effective.

          The RH bill will also definitely help lower the incidence of abortion because contraceptive use and abortion have an inverse correlation – regular and correct use of contraceptives reduces abortion rates since unplanned and unwanted pregnancies are avoided.

          Research from the Guttmacher Institute even states that contraceptive use reduces abortion rates by as much as 85%.