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

          President Aquino fully deserves congratulations for his unequivocal endorsement of the enactment of the reproductive health and responsible parenthood bill (House Bill No. 4244) as the “correct and conscientious thing to do” during the graduation rites of the University of the Philippines on Palm Sunday.

           The President’s statement that his steadfast commitment to the controversial measure is at the risk of excommunication is yet his strongest declaration against the Catholic hierarchy’s opposition to the measure.

           The resolute and courageous stance of the President is a magna cum laude statement which he could elevate to summa cum laude status by categorically certifying to Congress the bill as a priority measure.

            The allied advocacies for reproductive health and responsible parenthood have the following common salient features:

             1)   Freedom of informed choice;

             2)   No demographic or population target is espoused;

             3)   Poverty reduction or alleviation is a principal agenda;

             4)   Voluntary family planning based on freedom of informed choice is promoted;

             5)   All kinds of family planning methods from the natural to the artificial which are legal, medically safe and effective are made accessible to acceptors; and

             6)   Abortion remains to be prohibited and penalized.