Biazon Supports PGMA Proposal For A Church and State Reconciliation Of Population and Reproductive Health Care Issues

Senator Rodolfo G Biazon today lauded the efforts of the President in inviting the Bishops to a meet and brief her and the members of Congress on their stand on family planning and reproductive health care.

"Hopefully, sitting down together and ventilating each other's views will clarify certain points of disagreement between the two sides and clear the air. A minor concern like a misunderstanding on the mere definition of terms could easily be resolved."

Biazon stressed, "We need a population management program that conforms to the will of the majority. "

Biazon cited that many Catholic countries in the world have population management programs - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela, Italy including Spain who brought Christianity to our shores and Portugal, a devout Catholic country.

"While other countries are already celebrating the success of their reproductive health care initiatives we have yet to look forward to a reconciliation of the positions of the church and state to implement our own."

When the 14th Congress opened, Senator Biazon refilled Senate Bill No. 40 which is The Reproductive Health Care Act" (Providing for Reproductive Health Care Structures and Appropriating Funds Therefore) and Senate Bill No. 187 - entitled Integrated Population and Development Act" (Establishing an Integrated Population and Development Policy, Strengthening Its Implementing Mechanism and for Other Purposes.

Biazon said the practical benefits of his bills on reproductive health care information and services include:

1. For the woman - improved maternal and infant health; reduced exposure to health risks; reduced recourse to abortion and expanded opportunities for education, employment and social participation.

2. For the couple/family - reduced competition and dilution of resources; reductions in household poverty; and more possibilities for shared decision-making.

3. For the country - eradication of poverty, hunger, malnutrition; greater access to primary education; improve the economy and provide more jobs; and support gender equality.

Biazon, who has been pushing for a family planning policy ever since he was elected to the Senate concluded, "Our 2 Million Filipinos a year growing population rate and weak economy are valid issues which necessitates clearer strategies and implementable reforms. The unbridled growth must be tamed to tolerable levels or it just might outstrip production needed to feed the population. Let us not wait before it is too late."