Archbishop wants reproductive health debate

 Dear Archbishop Arguelles,
Dialogue or debate is welcome but there should no precondition like what Cong. Lagman wants. Here is his statement.

Lagman has put
forward the following agenda:

-  The central concept is freedom of informed choice
on the use of family planning methods from the natural to the modern which are legal, medically safe, and
truly effective;

- There shall be neither compulsion nor bias in
favor of a particular family planning method;

-  A full recognition that the Philippines
has a population problem which is aggravated by limited resources and a
precarious carrying capacity;

- There is an indubitable and empirical linkage between
population and sustainable human development, including poverty;

- No human development agenda is achievable without
addressing the issue on population;

- The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
particularly on improvement of maternal health, reduction
of infant mortality, attainment of universal primary education,
and eradication of extreme poverty and hunger can be made more attainable with
the passage of the RH bill;

- The RH bill
envisions a comprehensive and nationwide policy on responsible parenthood, family planning, and
population development which is not particularly addressed by
existing laws and changing policies; and

- There is need to institutionalize and codify
related statutes and policies on reproductive health, women’s rights, child nutrition
and protection, prevention of violence against women and allied concerns,
and earmark adequate
funding.