[In the news] Speaker sees no RH bill rush – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Speaker sees no RH bill rush – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos. By Cynthia Balana Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—The vociferous opposition to the reproductive health bill has just gotten a break from House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. Belmonte Thursday said it would not be possible to put to a vote the consolidated House Bill 4244,…

Human Rights Online Philippines

May 12, 2011

1–2 minutes

Albay, Edcel Lagman, Feliciano Belmonte, Inquirer.net, Philippine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Reproductive health, Reproductive Health Bill, Reproductive Rights, RH Bill, State of the Nation Address

Speaker sees no RH bill rush – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—The vociferous opposition to the reproductive health bill has just gotten a break from House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte.

Belmonte Thursday said it would not be possible to put to a vote the consolidated House Bill 4244, or the “Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development Bill,” during the remaining session days of Congress.

He said the debates on the RH bill could very well spill over into the next State of the Nation Address (SONA), meaning into the opening of the next regular Congress session in late July.

“We have to continue the debates,” said Belmonte, noting that 50 congressmen have lined up to interpellate the controversial bill, principally authored by Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, during the remaining 13 days of the first regular session of the 15th Congress.

“We need not finish this (RH bill) in the last 13 days. We’re trying to get in as many bills as possible and these are bills considered for committee reporting or on second reading,” Belmonte said.

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