Do not block or delay RH Law

Inasmuch as agency efficiency and effectiveness as to operations is within the purview of the House Committees on Appropriations and Government Reorganization both of which I am a member, I pose these questions to the Food and Drug Administration:

I hereby serve notice to the FDA and the Department of Health, that because of the continued non-full implementation of the Reproductive Health Law, I will intensely scrutinize every detail of their respective proposed 2018 budgets as soon as it is presented to Congress on August 14.

I will not hesitate to move for the reduction to just one peso the budgets for offices and personnel within the FDA and DOH responsible for blocking or delaying the full implementation of the RH Law and for not complying with the directives of the Supreme Court.

Way back April 2014, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the RH Law, kept the core provisions of that law intact while striking down some provisions.

The delay in RH Law implementation constitutes an injustice to the Filipinos who have been denied the full benefit of the RH Law.

FDA and DOH, do not test the resolve of Congress. The RH Law is constitutional and your duty is to implement that law.

If we find reason or proof that there are offices and personnel with the FDA and DOH who refuse to perform their official duties or who are collaborating with those who continue to oppose the RH Law, we will consider all available courses of action, including dismissal from service, administrative sanctions, and criminal proceedings depending on the facts and circumstances. ANICETO “JOHN” D. BERTIZ, III Representative, ACTS OFW Party-list