Despite the huge Rally organized by the Roman Catholic Church last Friday at Rizal Park to oppose the Reproductive Health Bill. Malacañang said that President Benigno Aquino’s support of modern family planning hasn’t changed.
In one of the interview to Ricky Carandang, Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary, he said that the president’s position regarding on the RH bill has never changed. “Again, I’m not talking specifically about the RH bill, but the president’s position on modern family planning has not changed’. Carandang told the reporters.
The protest led by the leaders of Catholic Church was called the prayer for life rally. It was attended by up to 40,000 people coming from Metro Manila and different provinces in Luzon. Despite this action by the Catholic Church Carandang said that more Filipinos wanted access to modern family planning.
“Well again, I think the survey show that’s not correct. Sixty to 70 percent, I don’t have the exact figure but something close to 70 percent of people surveyed consistently say they want access to modern family planning” Carandang said when he was asked about his reaction on the overwhelming support for the position against RH bill.
Deputy Majority floor leader Janette Garin, one of the proponents of the RH bill, said many of the people who joined the rally last Friday were misinformed about the bill’s content.
She explained that the bill does not support abortion, unlike what the opponents claim. It only promotes both natural and modern contraceptive methods. It also calls for sex education.
Public discussion, this is what both sides need according to Garin. Instead of both sides holding m(–foul word(s) removed–) actions, why not discuss the matter so that the facts would be sent straight and public may understand the content of the bill.