RH bill author wants solons to attend sessions
REP. Edcel Lagman of Albay province, one of the authors of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, is calling on at least 100 other members of the House of Representatives who are also supporters of the measure to attend the sessions and maintain a quorum.
“May I earnestly reiterate my appeal for all of us, RH bill authors and advocates, to be present during the last 12 session days before the Christmas break and maintain a quorum up to adjournment,” said Lagman in a letter, which he distributed to at least 100 co-authors of the RH measure.
“The House of Representatives needs your presence and support to institutionalize this,” he said. “Let us offer our constituents a small measure of sacrifice by responding to this urgent quorum call. Let us transform our enduring patience to renewed activism for the enactment now of an RH law. Let us collectively seize the moment and deliver without further delay the bill which is pregnant with fulfillment for maternal and infant health, reproductive self-determination as a human right, and sustainable human development.”
The RH bill or House Bill (HB) No. 4244 mandates the state to guarantee public access to relevant information and education on medically safe, legal, ethical, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices and supplies. Lagman has been pushing for the approval of the bill for the last 13 years.
The period of debates on HB 4244 has ended on August 6. It is supposed to undergo period of amendments, then approval for second reading next, but lawmakers opposed to the measure has allegedly resorted to delivering privileged speeches to stay the discussions on the measure.
The rest of the lawmakers, on the other hand, have failed to show up in the sessions, leading to an absence of a quorum.
In the past two weeks, the House was only able to muster a quorum once. Only 70 lawmakers were present for last Tuesday’s session.
The House needs at least 145 of its members to be present to constitute a quorum. Otherwise, the House can’t proceed with the discussion of the pending bills since an absence of a quorum would mean adjournment.
Rep. Romero Quimbo of Marikina City, deputy House Majority leader and Rep. Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption partylist, assistant Majority leader, likewise urged their colleagues to be present in the congressional sessions.
“We have to show up because it is our solemn duty under the constitution. If we care about the reputation of the House, they should go here and attend the session. Parang awa na [They should have mercy],” Quimbo said.
Tugna, for his part, called on other legislators to fulfill their responsibilities as elected representatives of their districts, pointing out that “the real essence of being in Congress is to represent our constituents and to legislate.”
With the House clearly struggling to get a quorum, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara of the Liberal Party coalition, meanwhile, warned voters against electing absentee lawmakers.
“In the end, the final word belongs to the voters. Their votes carry messages. If they vote for absentees, then absenteeism will most likely continue and vice versa. Human beings respond to incentives and disincentives,” said Angara, who represents the Lone district of Aurora province and chairs the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education.