Journal of the House of Representatives

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND REGULAR SESSION 2011 - 2012

JOURNAL NO. 24 Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Prepared by the

JOURNAL SERVICE
Plenary Affairs Bureau

JOURNAL N0. 24 Tuesday, November 15, 2011

CALL TO ORDER At 4:00 p.m., Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., called the session to order. NATIONAL ANTHEM AND PRAYER Pursuant to Section 72, Rule XI of the Rules of the House, the Members sang the National Anthem and thereafter, observed a minute of silent prayer. SUSPENSION OF SESSION On motion of Representative Jorge Bolet Banal, the Chair suspended the session at 4:01 p.m. Whereupon, Speaker Belmonte relinquished the Chair to Deputy Speaker Lorenzo R. Taada III. RESUMPTION OF SESSION The session resumed at 4:37 p.m. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GUESTS Rep. Banal acknowledged the presence in the Session Hall of guests of Reps. Romero Federico Miro S. Quimbo, Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza and Pedro P. Romualdo. SUSPENSION OF SESSION The Chair suspended the session at 4:38 p.m. on Rep. Banals motion. RESUMPTION OF SESSION At 4:47 p.m., the session resumed. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GUESTS Rep. Roman T. Romulo acknowledged the guests of Rep. Erico B. Aumentado.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 664 ON HOUSE BILL NO. 4244 On motion of Rep. Romulo, there being no objection, the Body then resumed consideration on Second Reading of House Bill No. 4244, as embodied in Committee Report No. 664 and reported out by the Committee on Population and Family Relations. Upon direction of the Chair, the Secretary General read the title of the Bill, to wit: AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. On motion of Rep. Romulo, the Chair recognized Reps. Edcel C. Lagman and Aumentado for sponsorship and interpellation, respectively. INTERPELLATION OF REP. AUMENTADO While Rep. Aumentado cited a study showing the carcinogenic effects of contraceptives, Rep. Lagman cited findings that they are not abortifacients and pointed out that any effect would be minimal and would be no different from that of taking food or medicine. He stressed that using contraceptives does not violate any law nor the constitutional mandate on the protection of the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception, and explained that the latter provision was included in order to preempt Congress and the Supreme Court from legalizing abortion. The Sponsor also maintained that government funds would not be used solely for the purchase of contraceptives but also for information campaign purposes to give couples, particularly the women, the choice and opportunity to responsibly plan their families. He then cited certain Catholic countries which have also endorsed the use of contraceptives. In expressing his vehement objection to the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, Rep. Aumentado questioned the reasons for enacting the measure

2 when data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) reveal that even without the RH Bill, the average household size of Filipinos has been declining since 2000 and is still projected to decline until 2025. He inquired whether the measure aims to depopulate the country, control population and consequently reduce poverty, even as he expressed apprehension that the country might become another aging nation like Japan. He suggested that the funds intended for the purchase of contraceptives be used instead to generate jobs and expand educational opportunities to build a stronger middle class. Rep. Aumentado further opined that population has a minimal impact on the countrys growth and that the government should focus more on remedies to diminish graft and corruption rather than push for the approval of the RH Bill which he deemed as divisive. Rep. Lagman cited the views of international and local authorities that validate the significant correlation between population growth and economic development, which Rep. Aumentado refuted by referring also to certain studies. Reps. Aumentado and Lagman then debated on the issue of population control as one vital ingredient of high economic growth and poverty reduction; the findings of the United Nations Development Programme with respect to the human development index of the Philippines; and the proposed amendments submitted by the sponsors themselves to the Chairperson of the Committee on Population and Family Relations. Rep. Lagman clarified that the Bill contained no infirmities and that the proposed amendments were suggested to reduce the contentious issues relative to the measure, such as the use of the Members Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations to purchase mobile reproductive health vehicles, the obligation of companies to provide reproductive health products, and the idea of a small family originally espoused in the Bill. He explained that these amendments do not dilute the core intent and objectives of the Bill regarding freedom of informed choice on family planning methods. Moreover, he said that the amendments were in a way, a form of accommodation of the proposals of President Benigno S. Aquino III. In his rejoinder, Rep. Aumentado pointed out that the provisions in the measure which were to be amended are not only contentious but also a contravention of certain constitutional rights.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2011 MANIFESTATION OF REP. AUMENTADO Thereupon, Rep. Aumentado informed the Body that he would resume his interpellation the next day inasmuch as he would take another hour to discuss certain important issues with Rep. Lagman. SUSPENSION OF SESSION On motion of Rep. Romulo, the Chair suspended the session at 6:04 p.m. RESUMPTION OF SESSION At 6:08 p.m., the session resumed. REMARKS OF REP. LAGMAN Upon resumption of session, Rep. Lagman agreed to the resumption of Rep. Aumentados interpellation on House Bill No. 4244 in the next days session. For this purpose, he stated that the Members would have to consult the records to determine the remaining time allotted to Rep. Aumentado for his interpellation in light of a previous ruling of the Chair that a Member may interpellate for only an hour. REMARKS OF REP. AUMENTADO Upon recognition by the Chair, Rep. Aumentado said that he was willing to sit down with Rep. Lagman to discuss certain key provisions of the RH Bill but added that he would continue with his interpellation the next day. REMARKS BY THE CHAIR Thereupon, the Chair informed the Body that the records would be verified to check the remaining time of Rep. Aumentado for his interpellation. SUSPENSION OF CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE BILL NO. 4244 On motion of Rep. Romulo, there being no objection, the Body suspended further consideration of House Bill No. 4244. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GUESTS With the permission of the Chair, Rep. Romulo acknowledged the presence in the Session Hall of guests of Reps. Rodolfo C. Farias and Rene L. Relampagos.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2011 SUSPENSION OF SESSION On motion of Rep. Romulo, the Chair suspended the session at 6:11 p.m. RESUMPTION OF SESSION At 6:12 p.m., the session resumed. ADJOURNMENT OF SESSION On motion of Rep. Romulo, there being no objection, the Chair declared the session adjourned until four oclock in the afternoon of Wednesday, November 16, 2011. It was 6:12 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------

I hereby certify to the correctness of the foregoing.

(Sgd.) ATTY. MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP Secretary General

Approved on Nov. 16, 2011